How do you find your Internal Auditors?

In the past, we had many sign up for the job. We would then book outside training, send them out of town for a few days, then they would come back ready to audit. Well, not ready to audit. Actually, not wanting to audit at all in many cases. The results were rushed and added no value.
We had plenty of manpower, but lacked seriously on results. Currently, i have the chance to pick good candidates. I have fewer auditors, but the quality of the audits have greatly improved.
What we demonstrated about the old method is that just because someone says they want to do it, doesn't make them a good fit. You need to look for people that have the right attributes for the job, then give them the support they need to be successful.

Earn and maintain an excellent reputation for the objectivity, impartiality and value of the audit process and its auditors,

Ask your fellow managers to select candidates to volunteer for auditor training per the attributes recommended by ISO 19011.

Ask HR to give you a heads up on any new employees with these attributes.

Make sure you have a cross-section of volunteers from all departments.

Actually, some organizations don't want to volunteer as an internal auditor because of additional function they will have to do probably every month or every quarter.

But in our end, thought we had a busy schedule, we make sure that the internal audit will be conducted every quarter (full audit).

I volunteered to be an internal auditor for TL-9000 when my manager asked for someone on our team to step up. I leveraged it into a full role in the central quality team, a Six Sigma Black Belt and it's kept me employed for years after the tech companies started laying off people over 50. There's no better way to learn everything about an organization than to become an internal auditor (damn, I should be a recruiting poster)

You showed initiative and a desire to help the company and it paid-off for you. Excellent. May your tribe increase. Too many people want the payoff without the effort.

I voted "other" because I've been reduced to begging. I am really struggling to develop an internal audit team. The prior corner office occupant did not allow conscription, AND had a list of protected people (naturally the most qualified people) who I was not to bother with this. Additionally, the long time folks got scared off by the prior ISO Rep's approach. The new corner office occupant seems more supportive and disinclined to leave anyone off the list of Potential Auditors.

I've had better luck with newer people, but there has been some turnover each year and I keep losing them. I'm in the process of making a presentation to explain to ALL that the process is WAY different from the 'old way'. I'm trying to find some bullets to put on the "Benefits to Being an Internal Auditor" that will help spark interest. "What's in it for me?" is an unfortunate mentality here. I need 5 people - including myself I have 2. SO FRUSTRATED.

originally i was 'voluntold' to become an internal auditor (back in the days of QS9000). since then, it has generally been a part of my job description (quality engineer or quality manager). finding good candidates has always been difficult - just assigning people to the job is (IMHO) not a good way to do it - if they don't want to BE an auditor, they will do a poor job of it. much better to ask people, and then assess the skills and abilities of those who want the responsibility.

Working for a large company, it is a mix of people hired to audit and finding people internally via email blasts and asks during town hall meetings.

In most companies (unless the company is rich enough to pay for external Internal auditors) people who are not interested in doing audits are assigned the job ( read forced upon them) , this is one major cause of shoddy internal audits , primarily because the auditors are disinterested & demotivated.

I always believe the organization should ask for volunteers , and once you find the volunteers they need to be trained in appropriate skills and given experience & exposure ( latter might come by shadowing experienced auditors)

Help top management set or endorse the objectives for the internal audit program.

Report to everyone on the fulfillment (or not!) of these objectives.

Arrange for top management recognition of the best internal auditors.

…and please see my recommendations #72 above.