[FPAnalyst]

If I work as an IT Auditor at a Big 4 for three years, what roles can I transition into in industry? I’ve seen regular auditors switch into Sr. Accountant, Financial Analyst, and other corporate finance/accounting roles at Fortune 500 companies after three years at a Big 4. What about IT auditors? I feel that I would end up pigeon-holing myself strictly in IT roles if I choose IT audit as an initial career… Is it best to avoid the field? I’m also planning to do an MBA at some point.

[Anonymous]

This is also highly relevant to my interests; I'm mostly in financial audit but I have the tech know-how so my firm has scheduled me on a few small IT audits. I'd like to know how I might apply that experience down the road.

[HoosierDaddy]

After working in public accounting as an IT auditor, you can transition into IT audit roles for corporations, consulting firms, government agencies, ect. If you have good IT audit experience you can probably find work as a management consultant. You can eventually work your way up to a Chief Information Officer (CIO) or Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

IT Audit is in high demand and pays well. It would be a great choice.

Good Luck!

-Passed all four sections of CPA exam in 2010 using Becker.
-Former Seasonal Audit Senior with Big Four accounting firm.
-Plan to sit for Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)

[abranaugh]

I worked as an IT Auditor for a year at a big 4, got promoted up to senior and then promptly left. I did not enjoy the work, but some people really enjoy it. I switched back to software development, which I am much more interested in.

I have seen people leave that went to strictly accounting roles, security consultants, PCI/DSS consultants, industry IT Audit, etc.

[marqzho]

Off topic question

How much IT knowledge/Skill would be required to a entry level IT auditor?

REG 90
FAR 95
AUD 98
BEC 84

[abranaugh]

We had people who were just accounting majors who started out entry level as an IT Auditor. And then we had some people that were strictly IT with no accounting knowledge.

IT knowledge is helpful and will probably help you sell yourself during interviews, but most of what we were doing was learned on the job. It was nice to have that baseline knowledge so you knew some of the basics.

[Author]

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