Let’s be honest: no one dreams of becoming an audit superstar.
But if you have to be in the game — you might as well win at it.
And winning doesn’t mean grinding 80-hour weeks or knowing the ASC Codification by heart.
It means doing the little things right, consistently.
These are the 7 habits that separate the “meh” associates from the ones who get fast-tracked, recruited out, or tapped for special projects.
1. 🏢 Show Up in Person (Yes, Every Day)
This one’s non-negotiable.
Audit is a people business. Seniors and managers are more likely to give coaching, reviews, and stretch work to people they see.
💡 Want more feedback? Be where your team is.
Even if everyone else is remote, if you’re in the office — you’re the one who’ll get pulled into that senior’s desk chat, or offered that random client lunch.
2. 🗂️ Come Prepared (Even If You Don’t Know Anything Yet)
No one expects you to be an expert. But they do expect you to try.
When you’re assigned a task:
- Read the prior year’s workpaper
- Write down your questions in advance
- Pull the client’s PBC before someone has to remind you
It takes 10 minutes — but it shows you respect other people’s time.
✅ Pro move: send a daily “here’s what I’m working on” ping before your senior even asks.
3. 🎯 Focus on What You Can Control
You can’t control the client’s delay. Or the fact that the lead sheet has 42 reconciling items.
But you can control:
- Your formatting
- Your documentation
- Your attitude when things get messy
Audit rewards consistency, not brilliance. Clean workpapers, timely check-ins, and zero follow-up on admin stuff? That’s gold.
4. ❓Ask Questions (But Do It the Right Way)
No one wants a silent associate.
Ask questions when you’re stuck — just make sure they’re good ones:
- Be specific (“I tried x and y, and here’s where I got stuck…”)
- Don’t ask the same thing twice
- Write down the answer so you don’t have to again
💡 You’re not expected to know everything. But you are expected to learn quickly.
5. 😄 Have a Great Attitude (Even When It Sucks)
Busy season is hard. But the associates who get noticed are the ones who stay upbeat without being fake.
That means:
- Taking feedback well
- Owning your mistakes
- Not constantly complaining about hours or client chaos
Audit leadership remembers people with good energy. It’s rare.
6. 📉 Know Your Place (Especially as a 1st Year)
This one’s real:
Don’t act like you know more than you do.
Don’t “correct” your senior or pretend you’re ready to review files on your own.
Humility goes a long way.
You’ll get more opportunities when people see you as teachable — not a liability with a LinkedIn chip on your shoulder.
7. 🤝 Take Leadership Outside Your Engagement
You might be the most junior person on your team — but there are tons of ways to lead outside the audit file.
Examples:
- Run your market team’s weekly meeting
- Help onboard new interns
- Volunteer to plan a firm event or offsite
It shows initiative, gets your name in front of directors/partners, and gives you something to talk about in future interviews.
Final Thoughts
No one thrives in audit by just “doing what they’re told.”
The best associates show up early, ask better questions, and make life easier for the team around them.
They don’t just learn the job — they learn how to be trusted.
Do these 7 things for 6 months, and you won’t just survive audit.
You’ll build a reputation that pays off long after you leave.
