An inside look at the auditor mentoring process reveals there is more to be gained from the experience than just knowledge sharing.

Auditor mentoring is an invaluable way of sharing the knowledge of experienced auditors with the next generation of auditors, with the mentor also having plenty to gain from the experience.

For an inside look at the auditor mentoring process, The Auditor spoke with Diane Mesa, manager of global audits for BASF. She is the auditor for BASF’s plant science division and audits globally in locations including India, Brazil, Europe, and the United States.

With 15 years of auditing experience behind her, Mesa began mentoring three years ago through an internal BASF mentoring program that helps match employees interested in mentoring with potential mentees.

Using what Mesa describes as a “match-making tool,” BASF helps employees connect with someone who has a similar way of thinking or is working in a particular field, by collating a list of potential mentees based on their areas of interest.

“The tool is a framework to help you choose or select a mentor and then set some goals, create deadlines, and set up meetings,” Mesa said. “But the actual work of mentoring happens completely apart from the tool.”

Once a pair has been matched, they are given the freedom to set up their mentoring schedule. Mesa is usually paired with younger people who are just starting their career or are looking for a career change.

“It’s really dependent on the mentee requesting time, setting the goals, and leading the process rather than the mentor,” Mesa explains. “The mentee is actually going to be getting the most benefit out of the relationship.”

While auditor mentoring, Mesa takes a hands-on approach that includes preparing her own training materials to provide the mentee with insight into what a typical day in the life of an auditor looks like.

“As our relationship progresses they get more and more practice and they take on more responsibility as an auditor,” Mesa continues. “They get the chance to sample the job before taking on that role. I think they really gain a lot from that. Then they get feedback from me, I observe them, and then I provide feedback on how they are doing.”

Participating in auditor mentoring can give the mentee the opportunity to learn valuable lessons that aren’t featured in a textbook or training course.

“Mentoring helps pass along the traditional auditing skills of the mentor as well as some of the soft skills that you may not learn by reading a book, such as interviewing techniques, the way to pace the audit, how to realize when you are being stalled, or objected to, and ways of working around those issues,” she said. “They don’t always teach those things in audit training courses.”

However, Mesa says that the auditor mentoring process can differ depending on the mentee and the career stage he or she is at.

“Some mentees are fully prepared and are self-starters; they really take action,” she said. “Other mentees are so new that they don’t even know how to get started. It might take more time to prepare or to spend time just providing a lot of feedback and helping them.”

It’s not just the mentees who benefit; mentors also have plenty to gain from the experience, Mesa notes.

“I am always learning from my mentees; they have new ways of looking at things,” she said. “They are usually better at technology than I am and so they are able to pass on some tips on the gadgets and electronics we are using nowadays, so I benefit as well.”

To be a good mentor, Mesa believes people should have the ability to listen and be flexible, possess good communication skills, patience, resilience, and the willingness to take time out of their regular job to share their knowledge.

Once the auditor mentoring relationship is over, Mesa stresses the importance of “the close out.”

“It’s important to do an evaluation of how it went and discuss how to keep in touch,” she said. “It’s good to let them know you’re available just in case they need you again down the line.”

Mesa’s experience is only one of many positive examples of auditor mentoring. Through participating in mentoring, experienced auditors and individuals just starting out their career can build a stronger auditing community and ensure the future sustainability of the profession.