Have you been wondering whether you should take the CISA Exam? There’s probably tons of people and plenty of articles that give you more than enough reasons why you should seek to become CISA certified. But should you?
Instead of looking at reasons why, let’s look at who should take the exam. CISA certification is sought after by a very wide range of job descriptions. It’s applicable to many industries. So buckle up and get ready to see if you fit the bill.
1. Meticulous
The auditing jobs many with CISA certifications occupy are in the realm of precision, specificity, and meticulousness. Those who perform these systematic evaluations of the security of a company’s information system follow a very established criteria, resulting in an audit that’s extremely thorough. These audits determine whether or not a company is in regulatory compliance, measure the information system’s security performance, and help overcome any weaknesses in the system.
Should you enter the personal domain of a typical IT security auditor, you’re probably not going to find clutter, disorganization, or disgusting levels of dirtiness and grime. It’ll likely be the opposite. Nine out of ten times, it’s a safe bet to make that the bed’s made. Dirty dishes in the sink for longer than a day is extremely unlikely. You’re most of the time going to be greeted with a well-organized, clean, and tidy apartment. If this sounds like your apartment and you’re in IT, then you should definitely consider the CISA.
2. Take Charge
There are those who sit quietly by and let events happen as they may and there are those who must intervene and make sure that whatever’s happening does so smoothly and with as little disruption as possible. They naturally gather, organize, and disseminate information, people, and processes in a sensible and efficient manner. In the most simplest terms, they govern.
These people in the IT world are utilizing their CISA certifications in the world of information governance. They manage a company’s information through the implementation of processes, controls, metrics, and specific roles. They seek to streamline the management through strict processes and very clearly defined roles that making information assets available only to those who need it and conversely ensuring those that need it, have it. They ensure that data driven decisions made by employees are supported through reliable, sensical, and easily accessible data.
3. Evaluators
Today, more so than ever, information is an extremely valuable asset. And like most assets, it can depreciate over time. Some information depreciates more rapidly than other information. And with the sheer volume of information that’s created, consumed, moved, and used in almost countless ways, it’s crucial for companies to be able to accurately evaluate their information assets to help determine the management of it. Eschewing the obvious evaluations of some sets and types of evaluations, the minutia of the information assets of companies can be hard to evaluate.
In steps an individual who has had an eye for such things since the early days of recess. Without fail, these people pick the winning team amongst the class. They may or may not be the best player, but they always had the best team and probably went undefeated in Red Rover or Dodge Ball during their playground days. They get the most out of their cars when trading them in for new ones because they bought cars that keep their value. They know when to leave the party before it gets out of hand. They’re the ones family and friends trust when they have questions on large purchases. They’re definitely CISA certified.
4. Self Starters
Really there’s not much more that needs to be said about those commonly described as a self starter. They take the initiative, they don’t wait until being to do something that needs to be done; they just do it. They’re the Nike’s of the world, the ones with the ingrained sense of do it now and do it right. Hesitate isn’t in their vocabulary.
[bctt tweet=”CISAs are the Nike’s of the world, the ones with the ingrained sense of do it now and do it right ” via=”no”]
Now that doesn’t mean these are rash people—in the world of IT these people definitely make informed decisions, likely data driven and based. They are often the ones who see a need in a current information system and take the reins and design, deliver, and manage improvements. These people are often in the world of ITSM (Information Technology Service Management). They work with ITSM frameworks to develop, implement, improve, and monitor IT governance and management. They’re familiar with COBIT, Microsoft Operations Framework, and even Six Sigma. And they’re CISA certified.
5. Committers
CISA certification is by no means a one and done type of cert. Once you go CISA, you don’t go back. Part of being CISA certified means maintaining your body of knowledge and keeping up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies in many different areas. This all ties into the CPE (Continuing Professional Education) program that’s required of all CISA certification holders. CISA cert holders are required to complete 20 contact hours annually and 120 contact hours during a fixed 3 year period. There’s associated fees with these classes, annually.
Along with this requirement, CISA cert holders commit to a rigorous Code of Professional Ethics to ensure the integrity of the certification and maintain its globally recognized prestige and respect. It’s something these people do not take lightly. If these rigidly honor-bound folk sound like kindred spirits, then you should join them. They’re probably your kind of people.
Duke
Lead Content Writer
Duke is a professional writer with a penchant for the world of finance and accounting. He enjoys rock climbing, free diving, and cooking.
Favorite Quote: "You can never have too many knives."
