[jopa16]

So, I start my job as an auditor in a couple of months. Every time someone asks what I do I tell them I’m an auditor. This is followed by confused looks and it doesn’t get better when I explain it. An acquaintance who works in public told me he always says he’s in consulting to make it easier for people to understand. Now, obviously auditing is not consulting, and I would never say that I worked in consulting to someone in the business, but I was curious as to whether this is kosher, or what you do when people ask you what your job is.

REG 2/26/14 - 90
BEC 4/08/14 - 92
FAR 5/31/14 - 90
AUD 7/09/14 -

[M.O.D.]

Just tell them you scored 90s on your CPA test. If they don't get it tell them you are a Classified Private Agent an you work for the CIA.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[pjypjy8520]

I've tried couple different things. I've told people I'm an accountant/CPA and they think I can help them with tax (I'm in audit). I've told them I'm an auditor and they ask a lot of questions (if that sounded interesting to them) or they are still clueless what I do. I had this conversation with a colleague of mine and he said he just tells them he's a consultant and no one asks any further questions and just think it's cool.

[M.O.D.]

Everyone know what an IRS audit is. Tell them that as an auditor you will audit their tax return.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Anonymous]

I just tell everyone I'm studying to become a Certified Pain in the Ass. My mother always responds, “you've been doing that your whole life! You're already certified!”

[Double A]

I just say I'm an accountant. Whatever you say there will be questions. They will automatically ask you tax questions and when you tell them you are in audit they think its IRS auditing. I use it as an easy way to talk about what I do, the firm I work for, and handing out business cards. It could pay dividends down the line if/when you need to get clients.

[jopa16]

Alright, I'm going with “consulting”.

REG 2/26/14 - 90
BEC 4/08/14 - 92
FAR 5/31/14 - 90
AUD 7/09/14 -

[lude4life13]

Just say you are an auditor, and they might give you a little more respect, but maybe not in the best way haha! To non-accountants, auditors are the IRS (negative image), or the people who go to their jobs and tell them what they do wrong (internal auditors at their company).

[mla1169]

Don't be surprised to get questioning looks if you say consultant. People will assume you can't/won't hold down a full time job, will ask that kind of consulting you provide and if you work for someone else or yourself. If it is somehow important to you that people immediately recognize your occupation (can't understand for the life of me why it matters to you) saying consulting is hardly better and potentially worse as far as recognition.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[jopa16]

It matters to me because I don't want to take time out of my day to explain to every new person I meet what I do in detail and still have them confused at the end of the conversation.

REG 2/26/14 - 90
BEC 4/08/14 - 92
FAR 5/31/14 - 90
AUD 7/09/14 -

[Anonymous]

Tell them you are a CPA working in Auditing. If you have to explain what that is just tell them “If you have to ask, you can't afford me and have zero in investments.”

[mla1169]

I get that, but my point was that consulting will still generally require explanation.

Besides, 99% of the time when people ask what you do they're making small talk and neither need nor want an explanation. That's entirely self-imposed.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[M.O.D.]

I thought that auditors are specifically prohibited from also being consultants. Would not that mislead your audience even more, telling them that you do something that you are disallowed to do?

And in terms of educating the public on the accounting profession why give them the wrong idea on auditor independence?

Whereas tax audits is a very large part of what auditors do, and everyone readily understands.

Why not say you are like a tax auditor, but you work with financial statements instead of taxes.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[henryv]

@lude4life

“Just say you are an auditor, and they might give you a little more respect”

Whenever I say this, people just say: “Oh, you're the people that are hated the most”. I always reply that it's our job to be hated. Ugh life of an auditor.

I couldn't care less though.

FAR - 92 02/2013
AUD - 90 05/2013
REG - 85 10/2013
BEC - 80 12/2013

I'M DONE. THANK YOU LORD!

[Pandarama]

If people don't understand what an auditor does, I say, “I'm a health inspector of money”.

BEC - 80
AUD - 64, 75 - credit lost, 90!!
REG - 73, 74, 83
FAR - 61, 72, 85

Feels good finishing on my best note. Time to watch the mailbox.

[Monkey Wrench]

I say I am an auditor, and 9/10 the response is “I swear I pay my taxes.” I'm like, “good for you” or “I hope so” ha

[Author]

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