Friends often ask me how long it takes to audit a company. The short answer is it depends on the size and complexity of the company and indeed how many are on the team. Big multinational companies can consume an auditors year, whilst smaller companies can take a couple of months.
I largely do the latter, auditing a handful of companies working with a few colleagues.
Auditors are usually provided a room for where the auditors work and, rightly, separating us from the employees. I often feel a sense of security entering this room - an awaiting colleague with whom you share this segregation. Close relationships are forged. Over the months you inevitably you become close.
The audit comes to an end. You wave good bye to your colleague on Friday to join a different audit room on Monday. That person you have shared more hours than you care to remember does the same. Suddenly your new colleague doesn’t know the way you like your tea, the time you turned off the office lights thinking it was the door release. You begin again.
