The demand for internal auditors is high across all business disciplines. Earning your Certified Internal Audit (CIA) certification signals to potential employers that you have the knowledge, skills and credibility to conduct internal audits of their organizations’ controls. The CIA is the only globally recognized certification for internal auditors, preparing you to perform audits for any organization across the globe.

Internal auditors do not need an accounting background and often come from the areas of logistics, human resources, marketing, finance or operations. A CIA would typically audit non-financial aspects of an organization such as:

• Operations
• Policy
• Government regulations
• Federal state regulations
• Governance

Here’s what you need to sit for the CIA exam:

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree (or an associate degree with five years of work experience)
• Character reference signed by a CIA, CGAP, CCSA, CFSA, CRMA, QIAL or your supervisor

To obtain certification, candidates must pass all three parts of the exam and provide verification of professional experience, such as:

• Master’s degree + 1 year of internal audit experience or equivalent
• Bachelor’s degree + 2 years of internal audient experience or equivalent
• An active Internal Audit Practitioner designation
• Five years of internal audit experience (or equivalent)