An internal auditor is the first line of company defense in discovering corporate misconduct. How they handle the process after the discovery of this practice may dictate the amount of trouble that the business may face. You are trying to gauge the judgment of the candidate and how they operate on the job. The first reaction that they have can dictate the course of the rest of the audit. What to look for in an answer:

• Knowledge of how to operate within a company
• Discretion about handling major issues
• Long-term strategic thinking about preventing issues with audits

The worst-case scenario for a company is that employees attempt to impede the work of the auditor. This can limit the effectiveness of the audit and subject the business to even greater consequences. An ideal candidate should be able to take the first step toward dealing with recalcitrant staff before having to turn the matter over to higher levels. Effective communication can also help bring workers on board with the audit. What to look for in an answer:

• Persuasive skills to get employee buy-in
• Knowledge of how to escalate an issue
• Ability to stand firm under pressure

In many cases, it is not what the internal auditor actually does but what they prove that they did during the course of an assessment. They must extensively document their tracks so that their conclusions can be judged to be reasonable. Keeping detailed records will explain any major decisions that are made during an audit, and you will want to know under what circumstances and how they document. What to look for in an answer:

• Evidence of effective written communication skills
• Clear organizational methods
• Thorough attention to detail to ensure proper documentation

This question is a test of the internal auditor’s knowledge of your specific company. This line of inquiry will establish whether or not the candidate did their homework prior to the interview. The answer will show how the applicant applies their personal substantive knowledge to your business. A follow-up question would be in order here to make sure that the individual’s familiarity with your workplace is more than surface deep. What to look for in an answer:

• Specifics that indicate the candidate has more than a surface understanding of your company
• Knowledge of the principles of auditing
• Critical thinking skills

Again, this is another question where you are testing both the candidate’s background knowledge as well as their understanding of your company. This question will give you a sense of how familiar the applicant is with all of the principles of risk assessment. Ideally, they would be able to run through several of the models and explain why they do or do not apply to your business. What to look for in an answer:

• Knowledge of company operations
• Keen understanding of the various risk assessment methods
• Ability to apply these standards to facts

Internal auditors have a range of duties related to assessing financial risks or errors and compiling reports. However, they also have a responsibility to speak about their findings in a presentation-style format after completing an audit. This question allows interviewers to gauge a candidate's ability to provide comprehensive feedback to a company about its finances.

A candidate's answer should emphasize:

• Public speaking skills
• Ability to prepare presentations
• Desire to share their work

Here is one example of a quality candidate answer: