How to hire an audit assistant

How to hire an audit assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step audit assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an audit assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new audit assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an audit assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The audit assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

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   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an audit assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an audit assistant that fits the bill.

   This list presents audit assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Audit Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Audit Assistant	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$23-33
   Bookkeeper	Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work... Show more	$14-25
   Charge Bookkeeper	A full charge bookkeeper's primary job is to manage and handle all the accounts of a small or medium-sized business. They are responsible for overseeing the accounting duties for a company, including billing customers, preparing bank statements and tax returns, and processing timesheets... Show more	$17-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Audit Reports
   • CPA
   • Risk Assessments
   • Audit Procedures
   • Analytical Review
   • Sarbanes-Oxley
   • Internal Audit
   • Internal Control Systems
   • Payroll
   • Income Statement
   • Balance Sheet
   • Account Balances
   • Audit Findings
   • General Ledger

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage quarterly reviews (10-Q) and annual audit (10-K) of two public companies as per PCAOB standards.
   • Communicate with health facility staff, consultants and CPA regarding the resolution of technical, accounting and conceptual errors.
   • Go on audit with team, work with clients collecting data they already have prepared and pass out to each CPA.
   • Submit payroll information on all associates bi-weekly.
   • Generate PowerPoint presentations as required for various staff members.
   • Participate in SOX compliance audit for an international medical manufacturing company.

   More audit assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your audit assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An audit assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an audit assistant in Montana may be lower than in Delaware, and an entry-level audit assistant usually earns less than a senior-level audit assistant. Additionally, an audit assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average audit assistant salary

   $58,744yearly

   $28.24 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level audit assistant salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average audit assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$64,203	$31
   2	Connecticut	$63,148	$30
   3	New Jersey	$62,770	$30
   4	New York	$62,178	$30
   5	California	$61,822	$30
   6	Maryland	$60,713	$29
   7	Illinois	$60,521	$29
   8	Washington	$59,669	$29
   9	Virginia	$59,433	$29
   10	Minnesota	$58,587	$28
   11	Colorado	$58,343	$28
   12	Texas	$58,261	$28
   13	North Carolina	$57,841	$28
   14	Georgia	$57,069	$27
   15	Pennsylvania	$57,026	$27
   16	Florida	$56,877	$27
   17	Arizona	$56,391	$27
   18	Wisconsin	$55,909	$27
   19	Oklahoma	$55,692	$27
   20	Louisiana	$55,376	$27

   Average audit assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	State Street	$79,830	$38.38	2
   2	Finley & Cook	$64,561	$31.04
   3	Ernst & Young	$63,262	$30.41
   4	Circle K	$62,909	$30.24
   5	AmTrust Financial	$62,285	$29.94	4
   6	CBIZ	$61,642	$29.64	22
   7	SECU	$61,595	$29.61
   8	Randstad North America, Inc.	$61,202	$29.42	1
   9	The Toledo Clinic	$60,028	$28.86
   10	Sullivan Custom Planning, Inc.	$59,597	$28.65
   11	Shelter Insurance	$59,572	$28.64
   12	Deloitte Digital	$59,441	$28.58
   13	Public Company Accounting Oversight Board	$59,387	$28.55
   14	Robert Half	$58,986	$28.36	102
   15	Deloitte	$58,043	$27.91	30
   16	University of Tennessee	$57,189	$27.49	1
   17	The University of Texas at San Antonio	$56,027	$26.94	1
   18	KPMG LLP	$55,718	$26.79	21

4. Writing an audit assistant job description

   An audit assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an audit assistant job description:

   Audit assistant job description example

   Do you have the forward-looking view to match ours? We are investing heavily in new innovations in data analytics and artificial intelligence using cutting-edge applications to differentiate our approach to audit. We're regarded as leaders in Audit and our approach is designed to provide the flexibility to serve the unique circumstances and complexities of our clients. Join us as an Audit & Assurance Senior Assistant and you'll help us to strengthen our reputation for quality and innovation.
   Work you'll do
   
   As an Audit & Assurance Senior Assistant, you will work closely with our clients to understand their business, the risks they face and their internal controls. You'll use our cutting-edge audit tools and technology. Other responsibilities will include:
   
   + Audit areas of the client financial statements, including transactions and internal controls
   
   + Perform analysis on client data and document testing procedures performed
   
   + Effectively work in a virtual environment
   
   The team
   
   Our team culture is collaborative and encourages team members to take initiative and seek on-the-job learning opportunities. Our audit professionals are committed to excellence and to enhancing the trust of the investing public and capital markets. Quality is our top priority, and by focusing on innovation, we continue to raise the bar on quality and deliver greater value to our clients. Learn more about Deloitte Audit.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Required
   
   + At least 1 year of experience in public accounting
   
   + Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field
   
   + Must meet CPA license eligibility requirements
   
   + Ability to travel up to 50%, on average, based on the work you do and the clients and industries/sectors you serve
   
   + Limited immigration sponsorship may be available
   
   Preferred
   
   + Advanced degree in accounting or related field preferred
   
   + Experience with a regional or Big 4 accounting firm preferred
   
   + Understanding of broad business & technical (GAAP) knowledge
   
   + Effective interpersonal and communication skills
   
   + Potential for extensive travel
   
   + Experience working independently on multiple assignments or engagements, even in a virtual environment
   
   For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in Colorado or Nevada, Deloitte is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to the State of Colorado and the State of Nevada and takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $54,400 to $81,600.
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right audit assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with audit assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit audit assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your audit assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit audit assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting audit assistants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new audit assistant

   Once you've selected the best audit assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new audit assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an audit assistant?