[memmy29]

I’m in internal audit in higher education and love it. Problem is, I only get exposed to operational audits and some financial consulting (no financial statement experience). I would love to stay in internal audit and use it to move into operations management or risk management.

My dilemma: I worked my ass off for my CPA license. Will my license hurt me or help with this path into operational/risk management? Also, will my lack of public accounting experience hold me back?

AUD-84, REG-75, BEC-84, FAR-77

Licensed CPA

CIA Exam
Part 1 - Passed
Part 2 - Passed
Part 3 - Passed

[kappa1032]

I can't see how a CPA designation will hurt you in your path – sure, it may not help you as much as someone in public accounting, but it definitely can't hurt!

Sorry, I don't really know too much about internal audit careers! Hopefully we can bump this and you can find a better answer from someone on the same track.

FAR - 81
REG - 74, 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88

Finally.

“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying”
― John C. Maxwell

[Anonymous]

Public accounting experience is not the magic bullet for all careers, so I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of it. My bigger question would be if you want to stay in higher ed or move to other fields, because I think that higher ed can be somewhat of a unique culture…so, if you wanted to do ops management or risk management in, say, a manufacturing setting, then I'd be more concerned about moving to that industry than moving to public accounting. However, if you like higher ed and want to stay there, then having higher ed internal auditing experience would likely be more valuable than public accounting experience.

[memmy29]

@lilla,

I see myself moving around in higher Ed and then making the jump into private industry, but not sure where. Healthcare seems to be great money but some tell me is very political and can be high stress. I think it will end up that I will have to go where the opportunity is at the time.

AUD-84, REG-75, BEC-84, FAR-77

Licensed CPA

CIA Exam
Part 1 - Passed
Part 2 - Passed
Part 3 - Passed

[Anonymous]

Nothing is more political and high stress than public accounting. And no, it's not necessary.

[Anonymous]

I used to intern at a healthcare provider in their internal audit function. Their internal audit function was huge (about 20 people) compared to what I see now in state government (1-4) and internal audit was broken up between IT, performance and financial. With your experience and CPA you are qualified for both performance type internal audit and the financial type. The CPA should open doors for you and may be a deciding factor on promotions. Where I work, you cannot move up without a CPA for example. Getting a CIA to boot may also prove beneficial and will at least make you highly marketable.

[Author]

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