To become a field auditor in the United States, you will likely need to have earned, at minimum, a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance. Some employers may prefer candidates who have a master's degree, but in most cases a bachelor's degree is sufficient. If you have an associate's degree in accounting and several years of related work experience, you might be able to find an entry level job. This will enable you to gain some direct experience while working and going to school to complete a bachelor's degree. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of these positions require you to have a bachelor's degree before being hired.
The nature of these positions usually requires you to travel extensively in order to fulfill the requirements of the job. If you want to become a field auditor, you should be prepared for this aspect of the profession. Not everyone enjoys a job that features a great deal of travel, so you may want might to consider your long-term career goals before entering this field.
Field auditors sometimes work in pairs while on assignment, but you should be prepared for a great deal of solitary work. Employers often look for candidates who thrive on working independently, so if this describes you, this work could be an excellent career choice. To become a field auditor and be successful, you will likely need to possess strong leadership skills and some supervisory capability. It is also generally necessary for candidates to have a strong sense of ethics.
For the most part, employers look for candidates who already have at least two years of experience working for some kind of public accounting firm. This kind of work history typically prepares you to become a field auditor. Even if you only have some public accounting experience that you gained as an intern while in college, it may help you to find this type of job.
You need to have a keen eye for the smallest details in order to excel in a field auditor position. Successful candidates should also be organized, methodical, and sincerely enjoy working with numbers. Some of the work that is involved in this type of job can be quite complex and disorganized. For this reason, it is beneficial to have the patience to sort through a lot of paperwork in order to resolve problems, or to find specific information that you need to complete a report.