To be a good auditor, you must build trust with the organization being audited. This involves being personable, friendly, and tactful. It is important to communicate audit findings in a constructive way, pointing out improvements while also documenting any issues. Auditors should avoid coming across as arrogant or getting into arguments. They must be good listeners and look professional. Overall, an auditor's goal is to provide an accurate report while maintaining a trusting relationship with the client.

1. WHAT MAKES A GOOD AUDITOR?

2. When it comes to being a good auditor it’s not all about
Standards and tick sheets. It has everything to do
with trust.
If the organisation being audited doesn’t trust the auditor
then the whole exercise is a lost cause. But how do you
position yourself as a trustworthy auditor? Below are the
dos and don’ts of making the right impression on your
clients and employer.

3. DON’T BE SHY
A good auditor must be a “people person” who can win
friends and influence people at all levels of an organisation
– from the Chairman of the Board to the person cleaning
the toilets. I once heard an auditor say “I’m not here to win
friends, simply to audit” , how wrong they are. Inviting an
auditor into your workplace is literally that…an invitation.
You must be likeable and tactful or you will fail to get
future invitations.

4. BE FRIENDLY AND TACTFUL
A good auditor once told me many years ago that
“you can catch more flies with honey than you can
with vinegar”. Being friendly and tactful will make
your job as an auditor easier and produce a factual
report for the client. While your report must be
accurate and factual, make sure you include positive
points where possible

5. COMMUNICATE CAREFULLY
Ensure the client knows the good points in their organisation and
what improvements have been made since the last audit. This will
head up the audit report helps management to better understand
their organisation. The next step in the report is to offer possible
suggestions for improvement that the management may wish to
consider with no strings attached. Finally, document any
observations and non-conformances. This is a psychological
approach to report writing and is one that is especially helpful to
the management when trying to install improvements in an
organisation.

6. DON’T BE ARROGANT
A good auditor doesn’t walk into an
organisation and start telling people how
good and qualified they are. They certainly
don’t try to give the impression that they are
“holier than thou” and that the organisation
should be grateful to allow them to advise
them how to run their business

7. BE A GOOD LISTENER
As well as being trusted, you need to be a good
listener. You should use the same principles that are
used when interviewing an applicant for a job (listen
before you talk, develop rapport, respect their
needs, determine their objectives etc).

8. BE CAREFUL OF ARGUMENTS
There is an old saying that “arguing with an auditor is like
wrestling a pig in mud…sooner or later you are going to realise
that the pig enjoys it”. If you want to be a good auditor you
should be very careful when getting into an argument with a
client or their representatives. You must know when to stop and
move on to another subject, using your experience and skills to
recover the potential argument later. This is often tricky because
you may get frustrated by some auditees not getting the point
of the discussion. Hopefully the point can be discussed with the
management and professionally discussed away from the point
of audit.

9. KNOW YOUR LAWS AND STANDARDS
Good auditor’s don’t necessarily need a good
knowledge of the product/service he/she is auditing.
In fact, lack of knowledge can be a bonus because it
will cause you to ask basic questions about the product
that the organisation may not have asked themselves.
Don’t use this as an excuse to be unprepared – you
must balance this with other knowledge. For example,
when auditing a safety management system the
auditor MUST have knowledge of the different
legislation in each State or Territory as this can have an
impact on the audit criteria.

10. .
LOOK THE PART
 Finally, a good auditor MUST look professional. Invest in a clean shirt
because looking the part will instil confidence. There’s nothing
worse than an auditor who looks like a scruffy labourer, especially if
the audit involves an overnight stay and you are invited out for a
meal. This might seem picky, but the dress code for a professional
auditor needs to be professional. Also some breath mints in your
pocket are a useful accessory if you’re in close contact with people.
Being a good auditor requires attention to detail on a number of
levels – attitude, approach, communication and appearance. It might
seem like a lot to remember at first, but once you get into the habit
of applying these tips they will become second nature to you.
Furthermore, when you consider the impact they can have on your
career, it’s certainly worth the time and effort to keep them in check.

11. SEKIAN TERIMAKASIH