27. How Can I Become an IT Auditor?

To become an IT auditor, it is advisable that you have a strong knowledge and understanding of IT systems and processes. It is not only necessary to have a technical understanding of technology though you should be able to apply your knowledge in a practical way that demonstrates a sound understanding of software change management principles, logical access to IT systems as well as other related topics within the IT audit field such as backup and incident management. The IT audit field is mostly established however, many of the large audit firms are pushing further development within this field such as including data analytics capabilities for IT audits.

Having a sound technical and theoretical understanding of IT is essential however, as an IT auditor you will spend the majority of your time at clients where having solid soft skills is vital.

Personally, my skill-set was developed through the study of IT management at university where I obtained a bachelor’s degree with majors in informatics, business management and IT management. I have found this skill-set to be aligned with the requirements of becoming an IT auditor.

During your university vacation periods, it is strongly recommended that you attempt to become part of an internship program within an audit firm in order to gain some industry experience. It is not vital that you only participate within IT audit work during an internship as merely having your “foot-in-the-door” can be highly beneficial towards achieving this objective.

Finally, it is currently not essential to have a CISA accreditation to become a novice IT auditor although having this accreditation is beneficial towards long-term career growth prospects within a large audit firm. For instance, it is now becoming a requirement within some of the top firms to have a professional qualification in order to stand any chance of obtaining a management position and having a CISA qualification is a sufficient professional qualification for attaining a potential management position. Therefore, having a CISA qualification is essential should you decide to make IT audit your career. However, if you understand CISA requirements, you need professional experience within the field to finally achieve the qualification even if you have passed the exam.