Staff Auditor interview questions and answers

Are you a candidate?

Crush your interview with our guide

---

---

Staff Auditor Interview Questions

Staff Auditors evaluate financial statements and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP.) They also conduct risk control across businesses/departments and report on their financial health.

Qualified candidates will have an Accounting degree along with relevant work experience (e.g. as an External Auditor.) Additional qualification, like a CPA license, is a plus. Candidates should also be familiar with external auditing practices to prevent fraud (e.g. Sarbanes-Oxley Act.)

For this role, it’s best to hire people with an attention to detail, as they are more likely to spot numerical errors and reporting discrepancies. Candidates should also be critical thinkers who can effectively evaluate business risks. Keep an eye out for candidates with communication skills, who’ll be able to contact clients in a professional manner.

Operational and Situational questions

• What would you do if a client asked you to cover up fraud?
• How would you present your suggestions to reduce a client’s costs?
• If you suspected that a company was exposed to a major financial risk, what risk management procedures would you employ?
• What would you do if a client didn’t want to implement your recommendations for complying with financial laws?

Role-specific questions

• What accounting or audit software do you use?
• What are some key metrics you monitor to check a company’s financial status?
• What industries and business types do you have the most experience with?
• What are the most effective methods to estimate bad debt?
• What are the steps you take after detecting a case of fraud?
• How do you check your work for accuracy? (e.g. in reports and spreadsheets)

Behavioral questions

• Describe a time your attention to detail saved you from making a mistake at work (e.g. noticing numerical errors on audit documents.)
• How do you prioritize work when you have to conduct audits for multiple clients on a deadline?
• Describe the most challenging project you’ve dealt with. What were the difficulties and what did you do to overcome them?
• How do you keep up with changes in financial regulations and laws?