Navigating Your Certification Path: CIA or CRISC for an Experienced IT Auditor?
As a seasoned Senior IT Internal Auditor with a year in the industry and four years of public experience under your belt, you’re no stranger to the complexities of auditing in both IT and business processes. With both a CPA and a CISA already adding weight to your professional profile, you’re contemplating your next certification move. Should you venture into the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or dive into the world of Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)?
Your background in Accounting and your strong foothold in the Audit side of IT audits have served you well. While your IT knowledge doesn’t match that of a tech specialist, your unique blend of skills positions you well in the internal Audit sphere. Your current role predominantly focuses on internal audits with an occasional dive into assisting with urgent business requests. You’re content here and have little desire to climb the management ladder, though a small team beneath you wouldn’t be unwelcome.
The consideration for a CRISC certification stems from envisioning an enhancement of your IT Audit marketability and a potential shift towards Cybersecurity GRC. Yet, after delving deeper, the allure of internal audit remains strong. The volatility of the cybersecurity sector, combined with the prospect of competing with deeply knowledgeable professionals, makes you hesitate. Internal Audit offers a stable environment where you feel valued — a significant factor for someone looking to maintain a favorable work-life balance and job security.
Your desire to keep your career options open is understandable. Venturing into operational audit at some point, while remaining in IT Audit under your current working conditions, aligns with your priorities. While you recognize the greater financial rewards available through specialization or management roles, these are secondary to maintaining stability and satisfactory working hours.
So, should you pursue the CIA certification next? Does it overlap with your CPA, or could it provide distinct advantages? Alternatively, does the CRISC align with your goals, or would it lead you away from your main interests?
The CIA could complement your CPA by enhancing your expertise in internal auditing, which might better align with your career focus on internal auditing stability, offering a broader foundation if a shift to operational audit ever becomes desirable. Meanwhile, CRISC may broaden your scope but potentially veer you toward the uncertainties of cybersecurity.
Ultimately, identifying which aspect of your career you’d like to fortify can guide your decision. If internal audit remains your steadfast goal, the CIA may well be the more fitting next step. Your professional journey is uniquely yours
One response
It’s great that you’re taking a strategic approach to your career development by considering how additional certifications might enhance your job security and open up future opportunities. Given your background and aspirations, both the CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) and CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) certifications have potential benefits, but they serve different purposes and align with distinct career paths.
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA):
Complementary Skills: Given your existing CPA and role in internal Audit, the CIA certification would provide you with a deeper understanding of internal auditing principles and standards. It’s specifically tailored for internal auditors and would reinforce your expertise in areas such as risk management, governance, and control processes.
Flexibility in Auditing Roles: The CIA aligns well with your desire to potentially pivot to operational auditing. It broadens your skill set beyond IT to include financial and operational auditing, providing greater versatility within the Audit field.
Professional Recognition: Having a CIA alongside your CPA could further cement your reputation and credibility in the internal Audit community. It might also be particularly useful if you intend to remain within internal auditing since it is often seen as the gold standard in the field, giving you an edge for roles that value a strong internal audit focus.
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC):
Enhanced IT Risk Management Skills: CRISC is valuable if you’re considering a deeper dive into IT risk management or potentially transitioning into roles focused on IT governance and cybersecurity. It’s highly regarded for roles that emphasize managing risk as it relates to IT systems.
Cybersecurity Opportunities: While you’ve mentioned some hesitancy about moving into cybersecurity, CRISC could be a strategic addition if you ever consider this path. It provides knowledge beneficial for roles in governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC), which could tie in with your interest in IT audit.
Competitive Edge: While you feel more at home in audit, having a CRISC could provide a competitive advantage in environments where IT risk management is valued, potentially increasing your marketability in specific sectors.
Your Career Focus:
Given that you prefer to stay in internal audit with a potential interest in operational auditing, the CIA might be the better fit for your current goals. It aligns more closely with your core strengths and desired career trajectory. It bolsters your existing credentials, especially if staying with internal auditing or transitioning between related roles in this space is your priority.
However, if you foresee a scenario where you’d