Internal auditors need a wide range of skills in order to carry out their role.

They must:

• have sound commercial awareness
• enjoy working with people at all different levels of the organisation
• have strong communication skills, both written and oral
• be able to interpret figures and statistics
• have strong analytical and problem solving skills
• be able to work as part of a team or alone
• have a flexible approach to work
• be able to work to tight deadlines and under pressure to deliver results
• be able to multi-task and prioritise
• be able to use their initiative
• be able to use a range of computer packages

Internal auditors should:

• be ambitious, energetic and ready for a challenge
• have an enquiring mind
• enjoy working with figures and statistical data
• understand organisational structure
• have a commercial focus

Internal auditors gain the opportunity to practise their skills in a wide variety of environments in the course of their work. The majority of internal auditors will work for large organisations, in both the public and private sector, and in not-for-profit organisations.