Future-proofing her career by switching to be an IT auditor

"Moving into the IT Auditor role enabled me to have a wider perspective of the business environment."

Lee Yong Ghoon

Senior IT Auditor, Advisory,

RSM Singapore

Yong Ghoon is an IT auditor at RSM Singapore. She has always wanted to be in this profession since her university days. She attributes this aspiration to her personality – she enjoys learning new skills and solving complex problems. Yong Ghoon believed that the demand for this profession would continue to grow, looking at the speed that technology was (and is still) evolving in the business domain. As landing an IT auditor job is not an easy feat, she decided to pursue a degree in Business Information Technology to first acquire relevant knowledge. Upon attaining her degree, she spent the first 10 years of her work life in IT outsourcing roles to amass experience before switching to becoming an IT auditor which was her dream job.

Share with us about your transition from IT operations to IT audit role

“I knew it was not going to be easy and I needed to be well prepared for changes, be it mentally, physically or psychologically. I was aware that I needed to gain prior knowledge and experience in auditing before I could live out my dream job. It was then I chanced upon the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Internal Audit - a programme developed for mid-career switchers, helping them undergo a skills conversion process to carve out a new career. That was when I decided to go for it!” She explained that the programme provided her classroom training where she acquired skillsets essential to a junior auditor. Yong Ghoon enjoyed the experiential learning through group discussions, role plays, and case studies. It allowed her to better understand and apply the concepts she learnt. It also complemented the on-the-job training at RSM Singapore, where she was given opportunities to apply what she learnt. Her colleagues also shared their auditing experiences and industry best practices with her.

What are some challenges you faced in your transition and how did you overcome them?

“Identifying risks and internal controls related to the processes that I audited, asking the right questions and communicating concisely with my clients,” explained Yong Ghoon. She shared that the strong support from her team, with their guidance and mentoring, allowed her to experiment with different approaches to her tasks. This sped up her learning process.

Tell us what you enjoy most about your role

Yong Ghoon enjoys the breadth of learning and gets a great sense of satisfaction upon the completion of every engagement.

Advice to individuals who are exploring a career switch to IT audit

“Let go of the past and be a good learner. Be determined, positive, and embrace these changes as this is the start of a new journey,” Yong Ghoon quipped.

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The content of this interview was originally published in the JTM Report by the Singapore Accountancy Commission.