If you are a beginner passing by and want to learn some knowledge, this is the right place to look.

If you don't know whether you are suitable to be an auditor, this is the right place to look.

If you intend to become an auditor but know little about this profession, this is the right place to look.

After reading this, you will understand everything.

      Simply put, an auditor is a person who inspects and evaluates the production or management processes of an organization. Generally, there are two types: one is an internal auditor, who, as the name suggests, audits the work within their own organization. Such a person only needs authorization from the organization and has no strict threshold; they can fill out forms, write reports, and understand their organization's production processes and quality management, and can basically handle the job. The second type is an external auditor, who is responsible for auditing other organizations' work and represents certification bodies to conduct audits, known as "third-party audits." After passing, an ISO certification can be issued. The certificate plays a key role in some international trade and bidding projects, so the role of external auditors is crucial and must remain honest and impartial.

      Internal auditors are generally appointed by the organization's leadership from personnel related to quality management within the organization. They can only audit their own organization, do not need to take exams or register, and do not necessarily need certification to work (if certification is required, it can be obtained through training). External auditors are subject to a national registration system, requiring them to first participate in the nationwide qualification exam organized by CCAA (China Certification and Accreditation Association). After passing the exam, they must find a certification body to affiliate with and register before becoming auditors and engaging in specialized certification audits.

      According to years of experience and level, auditors can be divided into trainee auditors (newcomers), auditors (experienced), and lead auditors (experts).

      According to the audit content, auditors are divided into different systems. The most common are the three entry-level systems: ISO9001 Quality Management System, ISO14001 Environmental Management System, and OHSMS 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System auditors. There are also highly sought-after special systems such as ISO 50001 Energy Management System, 50430 Construction Quality Management System, IPMS Intellectual Property Management System, ISMS Information Security Management System, ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System, IATF16949 Automotive Industry Quality Management System, etc. Other systems are not listed here one by one; detailed information can be found in the "Exam Camp" section of this public account's menu.

      Basically, it can be summarized as traveling around + auditing + writing reports. Since auditors need to visit different company sites, business trips to various places are inevitable. Sometimes they spend more than 20 days a month away from home, staying in hotels is normal. Writing reports is also an essential skill for auditors; the key to whether an organization can obtain certification depends on the auditor's report. Although the work is quite demanding, auditors generally receive proper care, respect, and often some extra income. Moreover, organizations applying for certification usually have certain strength and scale, allowing auditors to directly engage with the core frontline projects and environments, see the most confidential and cutting-edge business secrets, and discuss the latest business ideas with top company leaders. These experiences and gains are hard to get from any other job.

      Auditor income is usually calculated by multiplying the average daily wage by the number of audit days. Whether full-time or part-time, the longer the working time, the higher the income. The average daily wage for conventional single systems such as quality, environment, and occupational health and safety is 100-200 yuan per person-day, with a monthly average of about 4k-5k yuan. For the three systems, it is 400-500 yuan per person-day, with a monthly average of about 10k-15k yuan. Special systems pay much higher; for example, the 50430 construction field audit is about 700 yuan per person-day, with a monthly average up to 20k yuan. The ISMS Information Security Management System can reach an annual average of 300,000 yuan, and the 16949 automotive industry annual income is around 500,000 yuan.

     Auditing is a globally recognized profession. As long as there is foreign trade, auditors are needed. Moreover, this profession, like doctors and teachers, becomes more valuable with age; the more auditing experience, the higher the skill level and income. Currently, China has become the country issuing the most ISO system certificates worldwide. With the recent reforms by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on the auditing industry, raising the industry threshold will also enhance the social status and value of auditor qualifications.

     Industries such as industry, agriculture, manufacturing, and services all need auditors. Overall, there are no very strict industry restrictions. However, current demand mainly focuses on manufacturing, construction, and production processing industries. Therefore, if you are in science or engineering and work in production or manufacturing fields, congratulations, you are very suitable.

      First is educational background, then work experience. Generally, a bachelor's degree is required, whether from regular or self-study programs, with 4 years of work experience counted from the graduation date, including 2 years of professional-related work experience. For associate degrees, the requirement is higher, needing 14-15 years of work experience. We usually recommend upgrading to a bachelor's degree before applying, which is easier. A master's degree requires only 2 years of work experience. These are the most common requirements for the three systems. For special system auditors, relevant majors are mandatory; for example, the Food Safety Management System requires a food-related major, and the Information Security Management System requires a computer-related major. These requirements are specified in the registration criteria of each system. Interested parties can also find summarized information in the tables under the "Exam Camp" section of this public account's menu.

      First, confirm that you meet the conditions, then understand whether the system you choose requires institutional training, a national unified exam, or internship affiliation. Currently, CCAA has removed most mandatory training prerequisites for exam eligibility, so you can generally register independently for the national unified exam. After passing, find an affiliated institution for internship registration. After completing the internship, you can become a formal auditor. Of course, some special systems do not require internships; passing the exam allows direct registration, such as service certification auditors. There are even more special systems, like the 16949 external auditor, which requires being a 9001 level auditor with three team leader experiences and 10 years of automotive industry work experience. Each person is allowed to take the exam only four times, with each exam costing 28,000 yuan. If you fail, you must retake it. Therefore, the cost of taking the 16949 exam is very high, but the corresponding income is also high, with an annual income above 500,000 yuan, making it very popular.

Before 2018, the ccaa national registered auditor unified exam was held 4 times a year, once each quarter, approximately in March, June, September, and December. The exam method was only written test, divided into two subjects: basic knowledge and audit knowledge. The audit was tested in the morning, and the basics in the afternoon. Basic knowledge mainly covered general industry knowledge related to the system, such as various data and algorithms in quality, pollutant properties and treatment methods in environment, etc. Audit knowledge mainly tested procedural content in audit work, such as audit process and work allocation. Generally, once the basic knowledge was passed, one could start looking for institutions to affiliate for internship. Exam results were valid for 3 years, meaning if not registered within 3 years after passing, the results would become invalid.

In 2019, the auditor exam was incorporated into the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the system might undergo major changes, but the exact form is still unclear. The above mentioned may no longer apply after the last exam in May 2019.

Honestly telling you, it is not difficult. At least before 2019, it was like this. As long as you spend effort to thoroughly read the standards, do more exercises, and use the auditor exam assistant tool to practice multiple times, passing with a high score is not a problem. The difficulty lies in finding fragmented time in daily work and life to calmly study seriously. Life is not easy, and self-improvement is even harder. After all, only by continuous learning can one keep up with the industry and society. If you want to acquire another skill and have better personal development, being an auditor is a good choice.