Updated: 17 April 2023
In life, it is very easy to spot a certain model and brand of car if that is what you are yearning to have. The same holds true in your professional journey: it is easy to spot an opportunity when you’re already thinking of that opportunity. In that regard, connecting with the right people adds value to your career, so thanks to Veronica Rose, CISA, CDPSE, who opened my eyes to the CISA world.
When the pandemic struck, many were laid off and others had to accept pay cuts. For me, it was the right time to prepare for the future – it was my perfect time to execute my CISA dream. The Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) is a globally recognized certification focusing on the audit, control, and security of information systems (IS). It is a highly respected certification in the field of IT security, audit, risk management and governance.
Although I hold a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems, I was keen to upgrade and deepen my information system auditing knowledge (IT security, audit, risk management and governance). I decided to give my professional profile an edge by pursuing the CISA certification because as my mentor Veronica Rose, CISA, CDPSE quotes in her recently published book, BEING, “Choosing to be at the TOP because the bottom is too crowded.”
I knew that CISA is not easy to pass, and that it required serious preparations, but I was firm with my commitment to become a CISA and to pass the exam on the first attempt, which I did
The most important factor in passing the CISA exam is the motivation behind your pursuit of this certification. Why do you want the certification and how passionate are you about passing the exam? For me, it is not only about building upon my credentials, it is a constant drive to continuously learn and be equipped with the current knowledge and skills to perform my role better and serve my clients better.
Preparing to pass the CISA exam is no easy feat. Studying the concepts in your review course day in and day out can be gruelling, especially if you don’t have a game plan or a lot of free time on your hands. If you are anything like the majority of CISA aspirants, you are probably a working professional who has a hard time finding time to study. Join the club – juggling your personal life, professional life and finding time to study isn’t easy. It comes down to motivation and determination and setting aside enough time to adequately prepare.
The key to becoming a CISA is studying smarter, not harder. Studying efficiently and effectively is the most important thing you can do to properly prepare yourself for the CISA exam. You have to maximize your study time and make sure you take advantage of your downtime.
Study Tips to Prepare You to Pass the CISA Exam
There are a lot of different things that you can do to improve your study process. Everyone is different, so some of these CISA study techniques and exam strategies might work better for some than others. As a whole, however, if you follow these CISA exam study tips, you will have no problem passing the CISA exam on your first attempt. Let’s get into them!
Join ISACA
Become an ISACA member, either as a professional, recent graduate or student. As an ISACA member, you’ll experience a ton of benefits including expert insight tools and guidance through free access and membership discounts for whitepapers, books, webinars and virtual summits. I also advise participating in community groups on ISACA’s Engage platform: Audit & Assurance, CISA Exam Prep, SheLeads Tech, CRISC Exam prep, CISM Exam prep, CGEIT Exam prep, COBIT, Information & Cybersecurity, Emerging Technology, Privacy and more other forums. I would definitely take advantage of these resources. There is a gold mine of information systems audit information.
Set a study schedule
Make a study schedule and stick to it. You can be ready to sit for the exam in three to six months, depending on your familiarity with auditing and IT security, as well as how much time you can devote. Are you a night owl or an early bird? Study at times when your brain can effectively and efficiently process and absorb information. It does not matter when you study. Just make sure you pick a regular study time and stick to it. Remember, being consistent is everything.
Find a CISA exam prep course
Depending on your schedule, join in a CISA review course with an accredited training institution or CISA online review course with an accredited trainer. CISA aspirants should also read the CISA Review Manual. Practice self-assessment with the online CISA Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database daily – it has 1,000 questions that cover all five CISA domains.
I also recommend watching Hemang Doshi’s super simplistic and effective CISA videos from YouTube and summaries from his book. This helps you further understand the concepts.
Do extra research
Make an additional effort to explore topics that are difficult to understand. The CISA program is designed to help IT auditors become more effective in conducting system audits. Knowing the concepts just for the exam is not the endpoint. Rather, understanding how to apply these concepts to work in a practical, efficient and effective manner is the goal. If you keep this mindset of understanding the concepts for the purpose of practicing them later, it will make you more committed and ease your path in remembering the concepts.
In a world full of auditors, be a CISA. Good luck!!