If you’re an auditor and you’re wondering how to take greater ownership of your career, here’s some advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find out what your boss needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a simple, universal idea that we sometimes forget.
Often, we think we know. The boss needs me to perform this audit test. Or draft this report. Or complete the audit plan within budget.
And you might be right. At least superficially.
But, as auditors, we need to always be thinking about more than the easy, surface answer.
Sure, if you’re a staff auditor, your senior needs you to perform the audit test. But, maybe, there\u2019s a lot more. Maybe you\u2019ll save your senior a lot of review time if you truly understand why you\u2019re doing that test. So, do your own research. Talk to people. \ud835\ude12\ud835\ude2f\ud835\ude30\ud835\ude38 what you should be seeing. And what you should not be seeing. Take the initiative to investigate any \u2018oddities\u2019. Know whether or not these \u2018oddities\u2019 are a real problem or not before your senior looks at your work. And, please come forward if you\u2019re reaching a point of diminishing returns on your test, so that maybe you can end your test early and move onto something more important.
Simply doing your job is adding value at Level 1. There\u2019s nothing wrong with that, exactly.
Level 1 is \u2018meeting job requirements\u2019. That will likely keep you employed. But it\u2019s not going to move you to the top of the list when the next interesting opportunity comes along.
I\u2019ll talk more about Levels 2, 3, and 4 in future posts.
But the basic way you prepare yourself for higher levels of value is to understand what your boss needs. Understand \ud835\ude35\ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude2a\ud835\ude33 responsibilities. Understand \ud835\ude35\ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude2a\ud835\ude33 challenges. In everything you do, don\u2019t simply do what you were asked; provide a more complete deliverable that helps your boss overcome their challenges and meet their responsibilities.
This universal idea applies to all of us at every level. But, like I said, sometimes we forget the obvious, easy stuff.
The key is to know – for sure – what your boss needs. Talk with your boss. Develop a relationship where you\u2019re focused on \ud835\ude35\ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude2a\ud835\ude33 success. Then get creative. Innovate. Teach yourself the skills to make your boss\u2019s life easier. You may even be able to introduce some new ideas that your boss never considered, but will be hugely beneficial.
That\u2019s how you get ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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