External Auditors
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
External Auditors design and operate information and reporting systems, procedures and controls to meet external financial reporting requirements.
Tasks
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Identifies, manages and reports on financial risks.
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Assists with equity management, debt management, securities and taxation planning issues.
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Collects, analyses and interprets information on the financial standing, cost structures and trading effectiveness of organisations.
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Devises, re-organises and establishes budgetary cost control and other accounting systems such as computer-based systems.
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Conducts audits and investigations and prepares financial statements and reports for management, shareholders, and governing and statutory bodies.
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Evaluates the cost effectiveness and risks of operational processes, activities, policies and systems.
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Establishes audit objectives, and designs and implements audit methodologies, processes and audit report criteria.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 87% of people employed as External Auditors work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 21 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 44 hours per week in their main job. This is the same as the all jobs average.
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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External Auditors work in industries like:
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Public administration and safety
- Financial and insurance services
- Health care and social assistance.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | External Auditors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 35.5 | 31.6 |
VIC | 26.3 | 25.6 |
QLD | 16.1 | 20.0 |
SA | 6.3 | 7.0 |
WA | 10.0 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.4 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.6 | 1.0 |
ACT | 3.7 | 1.9 |
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Around 82% of External Auditors live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
New South Wales has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Melbourne - Inner
- Sydney - North Sydney and Hornsby
- Sydney - City and Inner South
- Australian Capital Territory
- Melbourne - South East.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of External Auditors is 36 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 46% of the workforce. This is similar to the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | External Auditors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.5 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 10.9 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 33.7 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 22.8 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 17.0 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 7.2 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 4.6 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 3.3 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 36 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
A bachelor degree in accounting is usually needed to work as an External Auditor. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.
Registration with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is required.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Financial Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | External Auditors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 22.7 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 50.2 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 8.5 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 6.1 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 8.9 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 1.1 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 2.3 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers who have strong attention to detail, are organised and work independently.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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61%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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57%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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57%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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57%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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57%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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57%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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57%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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55%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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54%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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54%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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54%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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52%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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50%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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50%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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48%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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46%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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46%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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46%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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92%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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74%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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69%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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68%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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68%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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63%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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61%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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55%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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55%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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54%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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52%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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34%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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32%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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22%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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17%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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16%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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16%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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16%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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13%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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12%
History and archeologyEvents of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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66%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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66%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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63%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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61%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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61%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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59%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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59%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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59%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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59%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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59%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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57%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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54%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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54%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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52%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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52%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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52%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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48%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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43%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
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43%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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43%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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84%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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80%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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80%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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80%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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78%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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78%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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77%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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76%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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75%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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74%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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73%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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71%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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71%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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70%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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70%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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69%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
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67%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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66%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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65%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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59%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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81%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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52%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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29%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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24%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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14%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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71%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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67%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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67%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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62%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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62%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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60%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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96%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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96%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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95%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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91%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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90%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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90%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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90%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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88%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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85%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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79%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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78%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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78%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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78%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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75%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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72%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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72%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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72%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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71%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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62%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 13-2011.02 - Auditors.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.