How to become a CISA Certified! - Mercury Solutions

What is CISA?

CISA or Certified Information Systems Auditor is a globally-renowned credential which is mainly recognized as the standard of accomplishment for the auditors, controllers, assessors, and monitors of information technology and business systems. It majorly helps in enhancing your career and boosts your credentials, with which you will be able to gain a competitive edge over the others.
 

It is a global designation and a recognized certification that is meant for IS audit control, assurance and security professionals.
 

CISA certificate will demonstrate your auditing, knowledge, skills, and experience which would further showcase that you as professional who is efficient when it comes to assessing vulnerabilities, report on compliance and institute controls within the enterprise.
 

It has become highly essential for companies to hire the workforce who could progress comprehensively along with a clear view of information systems and its relationship with administrative and occupational growth. Presently several hiring managers are on the look-out for CISA-certified candidates. 
 

Even for corporates and governmental organization, CISA has become a necessary qualification for profiles such as information technology and information systems. CISA is now known globally for the ones who are into assessing the information technology and business systems of an organization and thereafter providing assurance on their sustainability and availability.
 

More than 129,000 people have become CISA certified to validate their skills since it was first launched in 1978.  

Though the journey of gaining your CISA can be hard still one must not forget the high advantage of showcasing it on the resume. It will help you gain an edge over the others in the immensely competitive profession of Information System (IS), as your CISA certificate acts as the most valid proof of your experience and knowledge gained.
 

As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Information security analysts is projected to grow 28% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. This clearly indicates that earning the CISA designation will be extremely beneficial for the candidates in the IS job market of the future.
 

Are you ready? Before you think you are, you must analyze the following very carefully –
 

How to become a CISA Certified :
 

It is highly recommended to read it thoroughly in order to have a better and wider understanding of the topics and modules included in the same.
 

To be more precise, you must concentrate on the section number two of every domain. Don’t stop until you are clear in your head about all the domains, even if you have to read it more than three times. It is advisable to spend 35-45% of your time on it.
 

Remember persistence is the first step to preparation! 
 

Get a Guidance 
 

The right guidance or coaching will help you achieve your goal. It will help you to completely and easily understand the difficult topics, will provide you with the proper knowledge, give you the appropriate path to pass your CISA exam, will help in building your strong points, will render a better understanding of the technical terms and will also help you in managing your stress level and time. 
 

Note: You must give 15-20% of your time in getting trained. 
 

Take mock sessions
 

It is important to know where you stand before you go for the real exam. In this case, mock exams work wonders; therefore, you must keep on revising until you reach the score of 90%. This will help when you hit the final attempt. 
 

For the practice sessions, you may give 35-40% of your time, in order to seek positive results.
 

Why would you not perform?
 

It has been observed that individuals with technical background constantly encounter complications in understanding the concepts of governance and auditing, as they concentrate more on the technical aspects. This is a strong reason for not being able to perform as an individual must also look at the holistic approach to thinking from a manager’s or an auditor’s perspective.
 

And on the other hand, it becomes difficult for an individual with auditing and accounting background to understand the technical topics. Such students/candidates need to work on the core concepts and objective of a technology being developed.
 

Whereas, the most experienced professionals try to apply their own techniques which turn out to be unreliable. It is recommended for you to solely consider ISACA’s techniques as these are globally accepted, practical and is standardized.
 

How would you prepare?
 

There are varied resources available to prepare for your upcoming CISA exam, but it is strongly recommended to study and prepare through the official study material proposed by ISACA – 
 

• CISA Review Manual
• CISA Practice Question Database
   

The focus is the key to SUCCESS!
 

You must focus on the concepts of the CISA domains and analyze your weak areas to concentrate on the domains you need to improve.  

The job practice domains on which you must focus on, are of the following:  
 

Domain 1 (21%)

The Process of Auditing Information Systems.
 

Provide audit services in accordance with IS audit standards to assist the organization in protecting and controlling information systems. 
 

Domain 2 (16%)

Governance and Management of IT 
 

It provides assurance that the essential leadership and organizational structures and processes are in place to attain objectives and for supporting the organization"s strategy. 
 

Domain 3 (18%) 

Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation 
 

Provide assurance that the practices for the acquisition, development, testing, and implementation of information systems meet the organization’s strategies and objectives. 
 

Domain 4 (20%)

Information Systems Operations, Maintenance and Service Management 
 

It offers assurance that the procedure of information systems operations, service management, and maintenance meet the organization’s objectives and strategies. 
 

Domain 5 (25%) 

Protection of Information Assets 
 

Provide assurance that the organization’s policies, standards, procedures, and controls ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets. 
 

It becomes important for you to concentrate on all of these as it serves the basis for the exam and the requirement to earn your certification. These domains were proposed after extensive research, feedback, and validation by subject matter experts and prominent industry leaders from around the world. 
 

Mercury Solutions Limited is an authorized training provider, we offer a plethora of certification training to students and professionals around the world. We are also offering CISA training powered by ISACA, you can enroll with us to make a successful career in auditing or security.