Audit Staff Essentials - New Staff Core Concepts: Introduction to Professional Skepticism

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A skeptical mindset

Professional skepticism is paramount to a proper audit.

As a member of your firm's audit team, you play a vital role in applying a skeptical mindset to the work you perform. You will learn how to:

• Identify a mindset of professional skepticism in yourself and others
• Exercise professional skepticism appropriately
• Strike a balance between providing objective and independent service and maintaining a good relationship with the client

Apply your new knowledge

You'll also explore professional skepticism through an illustrative case study that allows you to apply the concepts you learn.

Who Will Benefit

• Recently onboarded staff
• First-year staff
• Firms that want consistent training and level setting

Key Topics

• The importance of professional skepticism and related requirements
• The link between professional skepticism and audit quality
• Impediments to professional skepticism
• Promoting professional skepticism in firm quality control systems

Learning Outcomes

• Recall what professional skepticism is and why it is important, and review the requirements in U.S. auditing standards for professional skepticism.
• Identify key concerns surrounding professional skepticism and audit quality.
• Identify situations that impede professional skepticism, including unconscious biases, and ways to mitigate impediments.
• Recognize ways to promote professional skepticism in the performance of an audit.