Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- Internal audit leaders are increasingly looking for recent college graduates with skills in accounting, auditing, and technology.
- A report by the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Internal Audit Foundation and Deloitte found that hiring managers prioritize skills such as business communication, data analytics, and ethics.
Key Elements:
Internal audit executives are broadening their search for talent to recent college graduates who have skills in accounting, auditing, and technology, such as data analytics. The Institute of Internal Auditors’ Internal Audit Foundation, in partnership with Deloitte, released a report showing that hiring managers prioritize skills like business communication, data analytics, internal auditing, and ethics.
More than half of the respondents in the survey have hired recent college graduates for entry-level staff positions within the past five years. Despite the need for new skills in areas like data analytics and cybersecurity, hiring habits are slow to change, with 80% of hiring managers still preferring candidates with an accounting background.
The report also highlighted the importance of internships in filling the talent pipeline for the internal audit profession. Colleges and universities with students completing internships are more likely to place graduates in internal audit roles, with 74% of respondents stating that internships are designed to encourage future employment within the internal audit function.
Overall, the report emphasizes the need for the internal audit profession to evolve and adapt to the changing risk environment by seeking out talent with a diverse skill set that includes not only traditional accounting knowledge but also expertise in areas like data analytics and cybersecurity.
