Why being an auditor is the best job
Heike, why would you choose to become a auditor again?
Modern auditing today has nothing to do with the old-fashioned image of comparing dusty numbers and checking boxes all day long. Auditing in today’s world means dealing with clients’ diverse business models, understanding business processes, and auditing the clients’ systems accordingly. A deep understanding of processes is the foundation for using modern data analysis tools, which provide an astonishingly deep insight into clients’ systems. This makes the job exciting every single day, and even after 20 years of professional experience, I’m still impressed by how well-positioned and professional German small and medium-sized businesses are and by how many “hidden champions” there are in Germany. For me, working as an auditor has never been boring, not even for a single day.
What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day work as an auditor?
In my day-to-day work as an auditor, people are absolutely at the center of everything I do. You get to know a wide variety of personalities, both among clients and colleagues. Through interacting with others, you continue to grow and develop bit by bit. You’re exposed to a wide range of clients and ownership structures, which allows you to develop a broad perspective that looks beyond the immediate scope of your work. Auditing also relies entirely on teamwork. Without a team that supports you even during stressful times, an audit simply cannot be completed. Through my work as an auditor, I’ve built long-standing relationships with others that I wouldn’t want to be without and that have been crucial to my personal development.
Rödl has always been a pioneer in my eyes, and I am therefore the best proof that “New Work” has long been a reality at Rödl. And the best part of it all for me is that every day I show my daughter by example that in the workplace, it shouldn't make any difference whether you're a man or a woman.
Auditor / Tax Advisor
Auditing remains a male-dominated field. What do you think are the reasons for this, and how could the situation be improved?
Yes, unfortunately, that is still the reality. The perceived length of the training period leads many women to rule out this career path from the outset, as there remains a prejudice that the profession of auditor is incompatible with family life. Yet this profession is actually very well suited to balancing family and career. Different “time commitments” can also be accommodated, since the workload can be perfectly tailored to one’s personal situation by selecting clients of appropriate sizes. The problem lies much more with societal attitudes and misguided political incentives. Childcare, for example, is still primarily assigned to women, so that even today, an equal division of childcare responsibilities between men and women is often not common practice.
These days, it’s usually no longer up to employers. Rödl gave me the opportunity to work flexibly 15 years ago. That was long before the COVID-19 crisis made flexible work arrangements a necessity and brought them into the media spotlight. Rödl has always been a pioneer in my eyes, and I am therefore the best proof that “New Work” has long been a reality at Rödl. And the best part of it all for me is that every day I show my daughter by example that in the workplace, it shouldn’t make any difference whether you’re a man or a woman.
How do you view the impact of artificial intelligence on the auditing profession?
Artificial intelligence does not replace an auditor’s professional judgment; rather, it can only enhance it. Routine tasks such as data analysis, document reconciliation, or the evaluation of large data sets can be performed more quickly and comprehensively using artificial intelligence. This frees up more time for auditors to focus on the truly challenging tasks: assessing complex issues, critically evaluating risks, discussing matters with clients, and exercising their professional judgment. The role of the auditor is increasingly evolving from that of a mere examiner of historical data to that of a process-oriented auditor and sparring partner for companies. It is precisely the combination of human experience, skepticism, and AI-supported analysis that makes the profession more varied, challenging, and forward-looking.
Thank you, Heike, for your personal insights and your inspiring impressions.