INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Audit Director positions are at a 17% growth rate, which is much faster than average. With that said, there are currently 681,700 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 118,200 to 799,900 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Audit Director jobs was $134,180 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $70,830, and the highest 10% more than $208,000.
Our conclusion? The Audit Director job market is wide open for candidates.
Top audit director sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a job-winning experience section: Audit Director resume edition
Audit director resume experience section: dos and don'ts
- List 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Include only relevant job experience;
- Make sure to highlight your strongest skills by focusing on the challenges you’ve faced and the results you’ve achieved;
- Don’t use buzzwords that carry no meaning;
- Don’t share confidential information about your previous employers.
If you prefer to be led by example, check out some great Audit Director resume experience section snippets below!
- Lead financial statement and internal control audits of publicly traded and privately held companies
- Manage workflow of multiple engagements concurrently, supervising teams of two to ten employees and partners, and coordinating with internal and external specialists
- Serve as the primary liaison for client contacts at all levels – CFOs, CEOs, audit committee members, financial reporting managers and controllers – regarding complex questions involving GAAP and SEC reporting
- Identify, research, document and resolve complex technical accounting and auditing issues
- Teach technical and soft skill courses at BDO's annual national training programs as a recurring facilitator for the past five years, with course sizes ranging from 30 to 100 attendees per session
- Present on the status and results of audits, reviews, and financial reporting and regulatory developments to audit committees, board members and management on a regular basis
- Previous roles at BDO: Senior Manager 2016-2018, Manager 2013-2016, Senior Associate 2010-2013, Associate 2008-2010, Intern 2006 & 2007
- Established the first global enterprise risk management program for Servco, the largest private multinational company based in Hawaii.
- Transformed the Internal Audit group, establishing a process re-engineering mindset by challenging the status quo of current processes and providing controls expertise.
- Executed a dynamic global internal audit strategy consisting of audit and risk projects (operational, financial, tax, IT, compliance, due diligence), process efficiency and system implementation reviews.
- Bridged the risk management gap between multiple cross-functional internal and external partners for key decisions including ERP, integration and M&A.
- Instituted health check reviews for the identification of operational risks and to align practices across locations.
- Established the first global enterprise risk management program for Servco, the largest private multinational company based in Hawaii.
- Resurrected Internal Audit group after a 10 year hiatus, establishing a process re-engineering mindset by challenging the status quo of current processes and providing controls expertise across BUs.
- Developed a dynamic global internal audit strategy consisting of audit and risk projects (operational, financial, tax, IT, compliance, due diligence), process efficiency and system implementation reviews.
- Partnered with M&A team to perform buy-side due diligence for international acquisitions and conducted global post-deal integrations. Instituted Health Checks for new acquisitions.
- Established the Company's whistleblower program.
- Authorised with the regulators for her Audit role across 15 retail legal entities, and represents audit on the Board of Directors for those entities.
- Accountable for the audit strategy and delivery across the Retail business.
- Leads the Talent agenda for Group Internal Audit and the diversity strategy.
- Group Audit sponsor for agile auditing, and has led the department with its quest to embrace and implement agile auditing techniques during 2019. This was a cultural shift for the department.
PRO TIP
Make sure to relate your experience to your job description, but never lie. That’s not tolerated and will show up in the face-to-face interview later on.
Action verbs for your audit director resume
Recommended Reads:
An impressive skills section for your audit director resume
Writing a skills section that stands out:
- Check the job advert for keywords that you can use: this will help you pass ATS;
- Focus on relevant and valuable skills that will support your application;
- Make sure to include both hard and technical skills, leaving soft skills for other sections of your Audit Director resume;
- Don’t list skills you don’t have.
Top skills for your audit director resume
Microsoft Office
SAP
Excel
Salesforce
Data Entry
Quickbooks
Project Management
Customer Service
CRM
Communication
Negotiation
Critical thinking
Problem solving
Collaboration
Flexibitly
Resilience
Dedication
Empathy
PRO TIP
When picking skills to feature in your resume, make sure they'll be relevant to the position you’re applying to. The point of listing skills is for you to stand out from the competition. Stay away from repetitive, meaningless skills that everyone uses in their resumes. Or else, they’ll backfire and make you look like an average candidate.
Recommended reads:
Audit director resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your audit director resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have non-discrimination policies about what kind of information can be included on your Audit Director resume. This might include a photo (which is often included in a resume header and might be on personal web pages you link to). You can always email the company’s HR department to ask about their policies before you apply.
The audit director resume summary: tips and tricks
Making a strong first impression.
- Keep your summary section short and easy to read; avoid long sentences;
- Highlight your total years of experience in the field;
- Mention 1-2 of your biggest achievements and strengths;
- Add a couple of keywords from the job advert.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Highlight specific past projects that you’re most proud of in your summary. It sets an excellent tone for the rest of your resume. You can talk about all of your former jobs in your work experience section later on.
Recommended reads.":
Audit director resume: a strong education section
What to include in your education section:
- Your highest education degree (incl. major, duration, name of institution);
- A bit more about the certifications you’ve got (if they are relevant to what you’re applying for);
- Some extracurricular activities that have helped you develop and strengthen your skills;
- If you’re an entry-level applicant: Relevant courses and projects.
Top certifications for your audit director resume
Internal Audit: a Guide for Management
Internal Audit, Risk Management, Compliance, Governance, Internal Controls, CIA, Audit Report, Audit Charter, IIA
Audit - Financial Statement
Learn the audit process from planning to audit report form a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
SEO AUDIT MASTERCLASS: How to do a Manual SEO Audit in 2022
Technical SEO Training: Find Problems & Opportunities. Core Web Vitals, Local SEO Audit, Schema, & Other Top Strategies
IT Audit Fundamentals | Introduction to Controls
Learn foundational principles of IT audits and controls
Professional Director Series: Fundamentals for Directors
Fundamentals that a Director must know.
Recommended Reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Audit Director. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
Audit director resume: How to choose the right format
The content of your resume is necessary for showcasing your expertise, skills, and education. Great formatting, on the other hand, is essential for highlighting your attention to detail, creativity, and ability to stand out.
There are three basic resume formats to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Which one of these you choose depends on a couple of things, but most importantly: the industry and your level of experience.
The reverse-chronological resume format, for example, is great if you’re an Audit Director with many years of experience and no career gaps. It doesn’t really matter if your company of choice is a multinational corporation or an early-stage startup – this resume format is considered to be a safe bet.
If you’re someone with little or no experience, however, we advise you to go for a functional skills-based resume format. It focuses on skills, competencies, and education, rather than experience. This makes it great for entry-level applicants, career changers, and graduate students.
And if you’re tired of traditional formats and want to go over the top when it comes to your application, the combination or hybrid resume format is here to help. Here, you can focus on both your experience and your skills, there’s even space for you to highlight your most spectacular personality traits. If you want to give a modern feel to your Audit Director resume, this resume format is just what you need. Add a ‘my life philosophy’ section for additional bonus points!
Looking for ways to perfect your Audit Director resume layout and style?
- Don’t risk it: choose standard 1-inch resume margins;
- Go for traditional resume fonts (sized 10-12p);
- Match the length of your Audit Director resume with your years of experience – choose a one-page template if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- To be on the safe side, save your resume in PDF. This will help you avoid formatting issues and unauthorized editing.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Your audit director resume: Other sections to include
Tired of resumes that focus only on your professional side? Want to show you’re an actual human being with a real personality that goes beyond your work experience? Then add some other sections to your Audit Director resume!
Depending on the industry, company, and position, you can go for a more creative or less creative approach. Choose 1-2 of the following:
Making your audit director resume shine
In a pile of boring black and white resumes, a creative Audit Director application feels like a breath of fresh air. And trust us, recruiters love this.
There are two ways to add a splash of creativity to your resume. You can either go for a creative layout (bright colors, modern fonts, etc.) or add some creative sections (e.g. ‘what my typical day looks like’).
It’s up to you! Just make sure to keep the position, company, and industry in mind. Otherwise, you risk going over the top. And that’s not always a good idea.
What makes a great audit director resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
