AUDITOR'S SKILL

Have you got what is takes to be a good auditor? The skills that are needed to be a good auditor are much more than learning the lead assessor of management systems, audit execution completing checklists. Economist, E.F. Schumacher is quoted as stating, “You can either read something

many times in order to be assured that you got it all, or else you can define your purpose and use techniques which will assure that you have met it and gotten what you need.”

Mr. Schumacher’s statement has auditor significance if you think about it for a minute. Putting an audit spin on the statement would go something like this:

You can either review the checklist many times in order to be assured that you carried out the audit procedure, or else you can define your audit purpose and use your audit skill to assure that you have met the audit requirements and gotten what you need.

Auditing is a complex process which involves many different skills and responsibilities. Also, in the current environment, the auditor continues to face ever-increasing demands because of regulation and client expectations. At one end of the spectrum, the auditor has the pressure to sufficiently document the work performed and on the other end, the auditor faces the pressure to get the work done on time and on budget.

These pressures can cause auditors to fall into the “complete the checklist” trap, giving them the illusion that to get the job done on time and the audit opinion will be correct. However, if the only technique an auditor learns how to do is to complete checklists, he/she fails to become good auditor.(The Characteristics of a Successful Auditor)

Good auditors come with experience. Lead Assessor certificates would not be sufficient. To apply to be an auditor for a certification body, besides your certificates, requires audit log to show you have experience auditing organization of the same sectors e.g. chemical and materials, construction, services etc. Otherwise you have to undergo audit on the job training for a certain number of days including observation, training and assessment. With this exposure you will start learning auditing skill. However it is not as easy as it was thought. Unlike machines, people have different character. Everyone is different from others and same person may behave differently every time we meet them at different situations.

Auditee may be honest answering audit question if they did the job well, otherwise they would do their best to show only the best.

Who are good auditors?

1. When auditing a management system you must comply with certain standards. Auditors have their own auditing standard/guideline that they must comply with. Good auditors should work within their standard, guideline and scope of audit. You must know this standard very well to avoid misunderstanding with auditee. Standard and guideline should always be your guidance if there are conflicts.
2. Some people are born to be a good communicator. These people, everywhere you go, you are welcome. When you talk auditee will listen, whatever need would easily presented. Communication skill is vital for an auditor. If you walk to an auditee with scary manner, you are building a barrier between you and auditee. The scary you are, the stronger the barrier is. This would make your investigation difficult.
3. Auditors’ objectives are to investigate to ensure the organizations are complying with the system and recommend for certification at the end of audit. You should conduct an audit by looking for positive findings. If nonconformance is detected, you must immediately confirm with auditee of the nonconformance.
4. You may detect some of the practices not conform to requirement and you feel that it is a makeup record or ‘undercover’ practice for the sake of audit. An auditor should not assume the findings without positive evidence. By looking at a pattern of the writings or signatures is not a positive evidence to confirm as evidence for not doing. Auditors would ask other questions related to his/her observation to further investigate the observation. It is like playing chess, once checkmate, then, you can confirm your findings.

Good auditors work within the scope, always refer to the standard requirement and look for positive findings. When there are no findings, do not mean you are not a good auditor.

You may list down more characteristic of good auditors. Comments are welcome.

Good auditors should be able to handle auditee tricks without giving offence to auditee. This will be discussed in the next issue.