HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical path starts in secondary school with math, English, accounting, and computer courses. After graduation, many students take a college or university program in accounting, business, finance, or a related field; university is sometimes preferred, depending on the employer or the type of audit work. Some students also build experience through co-op, internships, or entry-level office roles while learning about journals, bank statements, tax returns, and financial systems. Over time, employers may look for stronger auditing and accounting knowledge, careful attention to detail, and clear report-writing skills.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Examine and analyze journal and ledger entries, bank statements, inventories, expenditures, tax returns and other accounting and financial records, documents and systems of an individual, department, company or other establishment to ensure financial recording accuracy and compliance with established accounting standards, procedures and internal controls
- Prepare detailed reports on audit findings and make recommendations to improve individual or establishment's accounting and management practices
- Conduct field audits of businesses to ensure compliance with provisions of the Income Tax Act, Canadian Business Corporations Act or other statutory requirements
- May supervise other auditors or professionals in charge of accounting within client's establishment.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Financial computer programsInternational trade financeLegal aspects of international tradePresentation skills