Introducing Jessica N. Green, Senior Associate, Internal Audit!
A product of Baltimore County, Jessica Green attended Eastern Technical High School before graduating from Howard University in 2013. Jessica currently is a Senior Associate in the Internal Audit Department at a Fortune 500 Company.
Jessica is pursuing the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification because she would like to learn more about the auditing process and become more versatile. Currently, Jessica only has experience auditing Financial Services companies and would like to learn how to audit in other industries. Jessica also believes that certifications like the CIA help support career progression.
Outside of her profession, Jessica is passionate about community activism, mentoring, and her beloved alma mater. Jessica continues to show her pride in her alma mater Howard University by serving as the Howard University Alumni Club of Chicago’s Membership and Events Chair. Jessica is also a Big for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago
As she is studying for the CIA Exam, Jessica will be sharing her experience with us.
Week 3: Applying for the CIA Exam
Reviewing the Process
As if studying isn’t difficult enough, you also have to successfully apply for the CIA exam. Applying for the CIA designation can be nearly as challenging as studying.
Once you are ready to apply for the CIA Program, you must go online to The Institute of Internal Auditors website.
The website lays out the following information regarding the CIA certification process:
- CIA Eligibility Requirements
- CIA Exam Syllabus
- Sample Exam Questions
- CPE Requirements for CIAs
- CIA Exam Preparation Resources
Below that information is a link to the Certified Candidate Management System (CCMS), where users can officially apply for the CIA designation. The site does an excellent job of walking you through exactly how to apply for certification.
Making the Commitment
Officially applying for the CIA designation will give you a chance to confirm your interest in pursuing the certification. I would strongly recommend becoming an IIA member before applying for CIA certification. As a member, you receive a discount for the application and exam fees.
Meeting the Requirements
Please keep in mind you can still sit for the exam even if you don’t have the experience needed to officially obtain the certification. The certification, however, will not be given to you until after you meet the experience requirements. In addition to providing the requirements for receiving the certification, the site also details the requirements for maintaining the certification.
Scheduling the Exam
In order to schedule the exam, you first must apply. In my opinion, candidates are more successful if they go ahead and apply for the exam prior to or during the first couple of weeks of studying. You can have a date in mind, but the exam testing dates fill up quickly. You want to book your exam ASAP.
Paying Attention to the Details
Keep in mind that although applying for the exam is not too time-consuming, it does require attention to detail. It is extremely important you carefully review everything prior to submitting to The IIA. It took me probably an hour to get all the documentation needed to apply. Once I had all the information, I paid the application fee of $100 (IIA member rate) and then proceeded to pay the exam fee. Forty-eight hours after paying the exam fee, Pearson Vue (who administers the exam) sent me an Authorization to Test email. The email allowed me to go to Pearson Vue’s site (link provided in email) to schedule the exam.
Once you have scheduled your exam, you are all set!
Meeting Your CIA Exam Goals
After you’ve applied for the CIA Exam, you should develop your study plan for passing the exam. You should prepare to pass all three parts in one year, and you can do so when you rely on the interactive study planner found in Gleim CIA Review. This study planner allows you to personalize your review schedule based on your commitments, limitations, preferences, etc. The planner also allows you to customize your level of support from your Personal Counselor. Finally, the study planner tracks your progress while identifying your strong and weak areas. Learn more about the study planner and other components of Gleim CIA Review today so you can start moving toward CIA exam success!
