keenresume
  1. Home
  2. Resume examples
  3. Accounting
  4. External auditor

External auditor resume example

A resume for an external auditor, now an audit senior and licensed CPA with five years at a regional firm. Audit managers, partners and corporate hiring managers read audit resumes for client size and industry, the engagements you ran, controls work and how you handle people: your team and client finance staff.

External auditor resume example, page 1 of 1Nathaniel AdewaleAudit Senior, CPAnathaniel.adewale@example.com · (816) 555-0172 · Kansas City, MO · linkedin.com/in/nathanieladewaleSummaryAudit senior and CPA with five years in public accounting, running fieldwork on audits of private companiesand SEC registrants in manufacturing and financial services. I plan engagements, supervise teams of 3 to 5,and put the hours where a misstatement could really hide.ExperienceAudit SeniorOct 2023 – PresentPrairie & Vale LLP · Kansas City, MO•Run fieldwork on 6 to 8 engagements a year, including 2 SEC registrants audited under PCAOB standardswith revenue up to $1.4 billion.•Plan audits, set materiality and design procedures for revenue, inventory and business combinations; leadteams of 3 to 5 associates.•Tested 120 controls for a $900 million manufacturer’s integrated audit under SOX 404(b).•Found a $2.3 million inventory overstatement caused by a costing error, which the client corrected beforeissuing its statements.Audit AssociateSep 2021 – Sep 2023Prairie & Vale LLP · Kansas City, MO•Performed substantive testing of cash, receivables, payables and debt for 15 clients, including banks,manufacturers and nonprofits.•Used IDEA to test 100% of journal entries for 4 clients, replacing sample-based testing.•Worked on 3 single audits of federal awards under the Uniform Guidance.EducationMaster of Accountancy2020 – 2021University of Missouri, School of Accountancy · Columbia, MOB.S. in Accountancy2016 – 2020University of Missouri, School of Accountancy · Columbia, MOSkillsFinancial statement audits · PCAOB and AICPA standards · SOX 404 controls testing ·Risk assessment and materiality · Revenue (ASC 606) · Business combinations · IDEA · Alteryx · CaseWare ·Workpaper review · Team supervisionCertificationsCertified Public Accountant (CPA)2023Missouri State Board of Accountancy
External auditorUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • Engagements and industries: how many audits, client size, industries, private or public (PCAOB).
  • Your role on the job: planning, in-charge fieldwork, review of associates, communication with client management.
  • Controls experience: SOX 404, internal control testing and walkthroughs, deficiencies found.
  • Judgment areas: revenue, inventory, estimates, business combinations, going concern.
  • Licensure: CPA status, with the state, is close to required for a senior.

Writing the summary

Give your years, the kind of firm (Big 4, national, regional), your title, license and industries, and the size of team you supervise. If you are leaving public accounting, say what you want next.

The summary in this example

Audit senior and CPA with five years in public accounting, running fieldwork on audits of private companies and SEC registrants in manufacturing and financial services. I plan engagements, supervise teams of 3 to 5, and put the hours where a misstatement could really hide.

Audit senior moving into industry

CPA and audit senior with four years auditing manufacturers and distributors with revenue up to $1 billion. I know what a strong close and clean controls look like from the auditor’s side, and I want to build them from inside a finance team as a senior accountant or reporting lead.

Internal auditor

Internal auditor with five years in the audit department of a $6 billion retailer, leading operational and SOX audits across stores, distribution and IT. CIA and CPA. I write findings management agrees with and follow them through to closure.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Led the first-year audit of a $600 million logistics company, finishing fieldwork in 5 weeks and delivering the opinion 4 days early.
  • Identified 3 significant deficiencies in a software client’s revenue controls and helped management design fixes before year-end.
  • Tested goodwill impairment for a $250 million reporting unit with valuation specialists, challenging 2 key assumptions.
  • Supervised 14 associates over 3 busy seasons; 4 have since been promoted to senior.
  • Cut time on cash and debt testing by 30% across the office with a standard confirmation tracker.
  • Audited 5 employee benefit plans, including a 4,000-participant 401(k) plan.
  • Evaluated going concern for a client in covenant breach; management secured a lender waiver before the report date.
  • Ran inventory observations at 12 sites in 2 weeks, testing 600 count samples.
  • Presented audit plans and results to 4 audit committees.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • US GAAP and auditing standards (AICPA and PCAOB)
  • Risk assessment and materiality
  • Internal controls testing (SOX 404, COSO)
  • Substantive testing and sampling
  • Revenue, inventory, leases and estimates
  • Audit software (CaseWare, Inflo, firm platforms)
  • Data analytics (IDEA, Alteryx, Power Query)
  • Workpaper documentation and review

Soft skills

  • Professional skepticism
  • Leading and coaching associates
  • Tactful communication with client staff
  • Juggling several engagements

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA): expected for seniors and above in external audit; only licensed CPA firms can issue audit opinions, and the partners who sign them must be CPAs.
  • Certified Internal Auditor (CIA): from The Institute of Internal Auditors, valuable if you move to internal audit.
  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA): from ISACA, for IT audit and SOX technology controls.
  • Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE): from the ACFE, for forensic and fraud-focused roles.

Length and format

One page for up to about five years, two pages for managers. Lead with your current title and the engagements you run, then earlier associate work in two or three bullets. Keep the CPA near the top, in the headline or summary.

Common mistakes

  • Listing procedures (“tested cash”) without saying what you found or how big the client was.
  • Naming clients. Most firms forbid it; use industry, size and public or private status instead.
  • Leaving out supervision. Running fieldwork and coaching associates is what makes you a senior.
  • Using firm jargon (“in-charge”, “PBC”, “roll-forward”) with no plain explanation for industry hiring managers.
  • Skipping busy-season results such as delivering on time, on budget or with few review notes.

Questions and answers

Can I name my audit firm and clients?

Name your firm, since it is your employer. Do not name clients unless the engagement is public knowledge and your firm allows it.

How do I move from external audit into industry?

Show results that matter to a finance team: controls you helped design, issues you caught, close processes you understand. Senior accountant, reporting and internal audit roles are common next steps; see the senior accountant example.

Is the CISA useful for a financial auditor?

It helps if you want to specialize in IT audit or SOX technology controls. For most financial statement auditors, the CPA is the credential that counts.

Related examples

All Accounting examples

All resume examples