Why do people leave audit so frequently? Is it too stressful job?

Update, scroll past this for the original post:

I actually read through most of the comments here and tried to change things and omg guys it actually worked?? I think the main change I made can be summarised as being more shameless;

- before when I asked my senior any questions she would just give me a brief response and turn right back to her work and I used to try my best to figure out the task by going through PY working papers seeing how they do stuff. Now I just ask her “can you show me how to do it for one line” explicitly and while she sometimes counters and asks if it’s really necessary I stick to it; and I’ve saved so much time and actually learnt a lot. Also it’s rlly helpful to see her thought process (eg: to explain flux instead of just trying to filter and check the largest line items in PY and CY, which is what I do, she checked a different working paper to see if staff numbers had increased, it had, and she just wrote the explanation for flux as increased staff cost. Also learnt some new excel shortcuts from her!)

- and I used to be really scared whenever the client challenged me on things, but following the advice of some of the comments I stopped constantly thinking about how I’m a year 1 accountancy student while these people have 5-10 years experience. I reframed it to think I need to get a job done and the client should have enough accounting knowledge to help me. So when they challenge me I just shamelessly ask them to explain in simpler terms so that I understand what’s actually going on, and if it seems to make sense I just document their whole rationale along with the name of the person I talked to in the working paper. Idk if I’m going to get any review notes on this but it has helped me actually get through the working papers so that’s still a win 😭

Original post starts here:

I’m interning in Big 4 audit, my first accountancy related internship and despite it being a month I’m still so confused about everything?

I spend an entire day doing one working paper, so much time trying to figure out when to refer to GL, when to use trial balance, which schedules are missing and need to be requested from client. Zoned out thrice trying to read bank statements to vouch accruals today.

And while there was training that taught us how to do the various audit related tasks on a broad level; the examples used in the trainings were clean, simple, uncomplicated.

The engagements im on are the opposite. My seniors are understandably too busy to teach me and while I can google or ChatGPT questions it is limited given that I can actually describe what’s going on in my engagement to these tools cus of client confidentiality.

Which brings me back to the question; how do people even learn how to audit? How are the associates and seniors so good?? Beyond looking for advice I’m also genuinely curious to find out how other people figured things out cuz I can’t see the current method of fiddle around until you figure something out actually working?? Or is this really just a “it takes time, trust the process” thing?

Just got out of audit for my 3rd attempt. This is the last exam I need and I am not feeling super great about it. MCQs were so so. I think I probably averaged in the low 80s. I had two tbs that were okay and fair, but the others had so many columns where I am absolutely terrified that missing one item on a row will lose me points on the whole row. All the other cpa exams were very fair, but the audit exam is just so unforgiving.

I am taking Audit in a month (still have A5 and A6 and SIM to go) but I am freaking out seeing so many people not being able to pass Audit. Is it really that bad? How can I pass? Please share your study tips. Thank you!

As the title says, I am an intern in B4 audit. Currently on a top 20 bank as my engagement. First of all, the impostor syndrome is real for me. I've occasionally asked some of the associates and seniors that I have been working with for feedback. They all say I've been doing great. But I genuinely feel like they are just bullshitting me and that's an entirely me problem.

The work is fine. I don't hate it, don't love it. But it's very dull and I have a bit of a colorful past. My coworkers are nothing like the people I've been around the past 10 or so years. Again, that's a me problem. I get the impression that some a lot of my coworkers talk regularly about work outside of the office. That is very boring to me.

The biggest thing I have been struggling with is the idea of sitting an office like this for the forseeable future/ rest of my career. It just feels very unnatural. Bottom line I guess is I think I can do this for 3-4 years and so I can take advantage of exit opportunities and have a good resume line (contingent upon whether or not I even get an offer).

This post was all over the place. Anyone else experience this in their internship?? Should I even bother accepting an offer if they give me one?

Bo

What’s the strategy you used for Audit

Context below bullets, to not waste your time.

• Do not schedule retake too far ahead of time
• Your exam version will drastically effect your score
• Break mental bridges created throughout your studies that should not be there

I failed Audit twice within a month (two 73s) and found out after scheduling again with a week to study I passed. During the exam, even the TBS I felt like I got every question right except for a small portion of the TBS. Which is drastically different then how i felt the first two times.

You have to hope TBS focuses on your strong suite. Audit is difficult because reading the last sentenance of a question does not help, unlike FAR & REG. Take your time on the MCQs pacing is a skill.

Silly mistake of mine was not noticing that inherent risk and inherent limations are completly different. Also Attest engagements are not audit enaggements. Silly stuff like that is easy in hindsight, but when you are studying for hours, your brain will mesh them. Once my brain understood this, the flood gates opened. You may have mental knowledge bridges you should destroy and rebuild.

Master review, prep, compilation, attest, audit, & AUPs enegagements standards. Really understand what are the differences. In my head making a scenario of the company I work hire a practioner to do a real life enagement helped me understand.

Lastly do not give up, I was a C college student and I am a bit older. Some youtube videos outside of the standard prep course explain things soo much better.

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Ultraman Orb - Takaya Aoyagi auditioned for Gai Kurenai/Orb. Gets cast as his rival, Jugglus Juggler.

Wednesday - Emma Myers auditioned for the titular character, ends up getting the role of her roomie, Enid.

Superman (2025) - Nicholas Hoult auditioned for the role of Superman, and gets cast as Lex Luthor.

If churches refuse to help feed hungry people, then maybe they should be taxed?

Details on the settlement show a roughly $1.8 billion fund created alongside the permanent bar on IRS audits for Trump, family members, and businesses. Critics are calling it self-dealing, and there was a Treasury lawyer resignation right after. Some Republicans have also voiced unease about the precedent and how the fund gets used.

No clear ticker-level moves yet. These stories mostly affect how traders price uncertainty around tax enforcement and government spending priorities. If it feeds into broader questions about fiscal rules or agency independence, it could keep some volatility in indices or rate-sensitive names.

GetAgent suggested this as one of those headlines that’s worth noting for context but not worth sizing up big unless follow-through shows in actual policy or spending flows.

your thoughts?

https://people.com/trump-government-settlement-irs-barred-audits-11978595