I want to be an Auditor!

Hi All,

This is a 4 - year Plan, please advise if you think I missed something.

Currently I'm working as a help-desk staff, I have been doing this for 5 years now and I'm stuck here because I do not have a BSc degree.

So, I started this year in our Open University,The plan is to get as many diverse certs while I finish the 4 years degree.

Current certificates:

A+ N+ DHTI+ PDI+ (+ MCP in visual Basic)

Current plan:
Year 1:
MCITP in Windows 7 (We are deploying it in 2011)
Security+

Year 2:
MCITP in windows server 2008
Server+ (Beta results are still pending)

Year 3:
CCNA
Maybe ITIL foundation.

Year 4: (Keeping them to the last year because we do not use Linux nor wireless)
Linux+
CWNA

I know for a fact that moving to an audit firm with no audit experience means a big pay cut, but I want to go for it because it opens a door to management.

so, what do you guys think?

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Comments

dynamik

If that's what you like. Also Check out CISA and these books:
Amazon.com: Information Technology Control and Audit, Third Edition (9781420065503): Sandra Senft, Frederick Gallegos: Books
Amazon.com: IT Auditing: Using Controls to Protect Information Assets (9780072263435): Chris Davis, Mike Schiller, Kevin Wheeler: Books

wd40

Thanks dynamik.

I looked into it but I need to have IT Audit experience to get the certificate, I might go for the exam only in Year 4, I'm sure it will help in getting the Job!

We only have 4 Major Audit firms here, I will need all the help I can get to get in any of them.

dynamik

Be sure to review the requirements; they may not be as strict as you think: Requirements for CISA Certification

msteinhilber

I didn't think the IRS required these sorts of credentials. Odd.

dynamik

msteinhilber wrote: »

I didn't think the IRS required these sorts of credentials. Odd.

Where did you get the IRS from? He'd probably be doing work for organizations trying to comply with HIPPA, SOX, GLBA, etc.

msteinhilber

dynamik wrote: »

Where did you get the IRS from? He'd probably be doing work for organizations trying to comply with HIPPA, SOX, GLBA, etc.

Ouch, apparently my humor really is that bad.

janmike

msteinhilber wrote: »

Ouch, apparently my humor really is that bad.

No, not bad at all. I actually got the joke!

wd40

dynamik wrote: »

If that's what you like. Also Check out CISA and these books:
Amazon.com: Information Technology Control and Audit, Third Edition (9781420065503): Sandra Senft, Frederick Gallegos: Books
Amazon.com: IT Auditing: Using Controls to Protect Information Assets (9780072263435): Chris Davis, Mike Schiller, Kevin Wheeler: Books

I just checked our Books24x7 subscription .. I have both

..
IT Auditing: Using Controls to Protect Information Assets - has some interesting topics, Thanks for the hint ..

about the CISA Requirements, even after finishing my BSc I will still need 2 more years of IT audit experience..

I forgot about EC-Council, I might go for one of there certificates.

Paul Boz

Those certs probably won't help you in the long run. In my professional experience, NCUA, FFIEC, FDIC, and other financial auditors are not very technically savvy. It would probably benefit you more to align yourself with a skillset such as risk assessments, IT auditing, BCP planning, etc. You can pursue the SSCP which will knock one year of experience requirement off of the CISSP. You can also take and pass the CISSP exam as an "Associate CISSP" until you get the work experience. That way you can say you passed it and its for the most part just as good.

wd40

Thanks Paul Boz.

I'm not in USA so the situation with Audit firms is a little bit different, an SSCP will be too much for an entry level IT Auditor job, after I get in I will try to go for Accounting and Audit certificates "Like CPA or CMA etc", but for now I need to focus on IT certificates, I think it will look good on the business card given to customers, which will increase the chances of getting the job.