June 2012

June 20, 2012

Five Classic Myths About Internal Auditing

Myths can tell us a lot about ourselves — or at the least, about how others see the world. But at times it seems that the most inaccurate myths are the most difficult to dispel, particularly if there is a grain of truth buried at the origins of the myth.

The modern internal audit profession has been around for less than 100 years. Yet it is amazing how many myths and misperceptions have evolved about the profession in such a relatively short period of time. And while each of the following myths is generally untrue, the fact that these myths are so enduring might be an indicator that each of us needs to take stock of how we are perceived in our own organizations.…

June 12, 2012

Internal Auditing: Is It a Career or a Career “Stepping-stone”?

When I joined the internal audit profession in the 1970s, it was widely understood that internal auditing was a career path. Young professionals, like I was back then, joined internal audit departments staffed with career internal auditors who often had been in the profession for decades.

My, how times have changed. Today’s internal audit departments use diverse staffing models, often employing a mix of staffing approaches to ensure the right “fit” for both staff and the department. Full-time, part-time, career positions, rotational positions, outsourcing, co-sourcing, “borrowed” staff, work-from-home employees… these days, internal audit has it all. And while some departments are still staffed completely by career internal audit professionals, others groups are purely rotational.…