[Myredstapler]

So I have an interview for an audit position. Now the question I seem to have a difficult time answering is “Why did you pick audit and not tax?” For those of you who are auditors could you tell me how you have/would answer this question? Or even those that are not in audit. Thank you everyone in advance.

[Anonymous]

From the tax side of things…I would guess it'd be reasons like this:

1. More consistent hours – tax has ridiculous hours, and seasons of nothing to do. Audit has a busy season, but it sounds like it's not nearly as much fluctuation.

2. More focus on an individual client, instead of a million – my experience in tax is working with approx 500 different clients in a season. It sounds like most people in Audit work with one, maybe 2 people a season.

3. More interest in forensic and/or analytical work, rather than more of a strict reporting role – in tax, your job is to report what your client says they did, with slight analyzing to make sure its reasonable. In audit, your goal is to scrutinize the details and see if what your client says is true.

Beyond that, I'm not sure…and remember, this is based on doing tax and only hearing about audit, so could be entirely off-base!

[MarquetteMadman]

You should sit for the REG exam and I bet you answer your own question

FAR: 78
AUD: 71, Aug 27
REG: 77
BEC: 80

[Myredstapler]

Thank you for the info Lilla!

[kmaahs]

Audit can also be a bit more team oriented than tax.

You have a team for tax projects, but much of your work will be on your own, using your team as a reference.

Audits require the audit team to pretty much live together while on the clock. So I would definitely stress your relationship skills when gunning for an audit role. Also, auditors tend to have more face time with clients than tax, another reason social skills are a must.

Also, just a personal opinion, but audit rules tend to be more intuitive and orderly than tax law is. Most GAAS make logical sense. Whereas tax law, which is a product of our brilliant government, can be very arbitrary.

C.P.A.

[acamp]

Be more worried about the questions like, “how have you handled adversity in a group setting and what did you take away from it?

Why audit? Easy. Almost anything will work,

“I enjoyed my audit class, more than tax”

“Audited financials are what hold our capital markets in place, I'd like to be apart of that”

“I want the opportunity to look under the hood of various companies and see the inner-workings of their financial statements”

…

Or you could always figure out why you want to do audit, and you know, say that 😉

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[fuzyfro89]

– work with financial statements

– work with business processes and risk management structures

– broad exposure to business operations

The interviewer knows you have no real world experience to show why you want audit, but its perfectly acceptable to talk in general terms. Mostly it's about fit, but having at least put some thought into the practice you want at least shows you are making an effort. Please don't go into some long story about how you were born to do audit. The interviewer will check out completely.

Once you talk through a few basic reasons, it's perfectly acceptable to ask the interviewer how they made their choice. As you're in the interview process, asking good questions is equally as important as giving good answers. Good luck!

[laloleg1]

A good answer would be to say that you enjoy the interaction with the clients. As an auditor you truly need to be a well rounded individual and be able to carry a conversation and not always about business. So firms usually look for auditors who are able to talk to clients to be able to obtain what you need and for clients to feel comfortable with you spending countless hours inquiring and requesting information.

If you do go into audit, make sure you actually enjoy this type of interaction. Depending on the size of the firm and/or the size of the client, chances are you will be having lunch with the client more than once. Firms want to make sure you won't embarrass them in front of them.

[Author]

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