How to write each section (step-by-step)
You’re writing for two readers at once: a human hiring manager and an ATS filter. The trick is to make the human feel, “This person understands our environment,” while the ATS quietly ticks boxes like ITGC, CPS 234, ISO 27001, ServiceNow, TeamMate+.
a) Professional Summary
Use this simple formula and don’t overthink it:
[Years] + [specialization] + [measurable win] + [target role/environment].
For an IT Auditor in Australia, “specialization” should be something concrete: ITGCs, application controls, IAM/PAM, cloud governance, third-party assurance, or APRA CPS 234 uplift. Your measurable win can be reduced repeat findings, faster cycle time, fewer high-risk issues, improved evidence quality, or increased control coverage.
Weak version:
Experienced auditor with strong attention to detail and a passion for technology. Looking for a role where I can grow and contribute.
Strong version:
IT Auditor with 5+ years in financial services, specializing in ITGCs and application controls across SAP and Microsoft 365. Reduced repeat findings by 40% by tightening evidence standards and retest criteria. Targeting an IT Audit Specialist role in an APRA-regulated organization.
The strong version works because it’s not an “objective.” It’s a positioning statement with proof.
b) Experience section
Write bullets like you’re giving evidence in a control review. “Did stuff” doesn’t help you. “Tested X control using Y evidence and achieved Z outcome” does.
Keep reverse chronological order, and make each bullet a complete story:
- action verb
- control area + system/tool
- measurable result
Weak version:
Performed ITGC testing and worked with stakeholders.
Strong version:
Executed ITGC testing for change management using ServiceNow tickets and Azure DevOps release evidence, reducing control exceptions from 12 to 5 across two quarters.
Why these verbs work for IT audit: they signal testing, challenge, and remediation—not “helping.” Use verbs like these when you write:
- Assessed
- Tested
- Validated
- Mapped
- Traced
- Reconciled
- Investigated
- Identified
- Challenged
- Remediated
- Retested
- Reported
- Presented
- Standardized
- Automated
Don’t sprinkle them randomly. Pick the verb that matches the audit step you actually did.
c) Skills section
Your skills section is an ATS handshake. It should mirror the language in Australian job ads for IT Auditor / Systems Auditor / Technology Auditor roles.
Here’s the strategy: pull 10–15 keywords from the job description (standards, tools, platforms), then add 5–10 “core IT audit” keywords that always apply. Don’t add soft skills here—save those for how your bullets read.
Key IT Auditor skills for Australia (grouped so you can pick what matches your background):
Hard Skills / Technical Skills
- ITGC testing (access, change, operations)
- Application controls (config, interfaces, batch jobs)
- Identity & access management (IAM)
- Privileged access management (PAM)
- Segregation of duties (SoD)
- Cloud governance controls (AWS/Azure)
- Logging/monitoring evidence review
- Backup and resilience testing evidence
- Third-party assurance / vendor risk
- Risk and Control Matrix (RCM)
Tools / Software
- TeamMate+ (or similar audit workpapers)
- ServiceNow (incidents/changes evidence)
- Azure DevOps / Jira (release evidence)
- SAP GRC
- Active Directory / Entra ID (Azure AD)
- Microsoft 365 security (MFA, conditional access)
- AWS CloudTrail / IAM
- SQL (audit analytics)
- PowerShell (access reporting)
Certifications / Standards
- APRA CPS 234
- ISO/IEC 27001
- COBIT 2019
- NIST CSF
- CISA (ISACA)
- CISSP (for security-leaning audit roles)
If you want a clean reference point for what “CISA” actually represents in the market, see ISACA CISA. For APRA expectations in finance, CPS 234 is the keyword you’ll see again and again.
d) Education and certifications
In Australia, education is usually a quick credibility check—not the selling point—unless you’re a graduate. Keep it simple: degree, institution, city, years. Don’t list every subject you took.
Certifications matter more than people admit in IT audit, especially when you’re competing against candidates from Big 4 or internal audit rotations. If you have CISA, put it near the top of your resume (or in a dedicated “Certifications” line if your template supports it). If you’re in progress, write it honestly: “CISA (in progress), exam scheduled MM/YYYY.” That reads like momentum, not like fluff.
For standards, don’t claim what you can’t defend in an interview. “ISO 27001 awareness” is fine for juniors. “ISO 27001 lead auditor” is a different claim and should be backed by actual training.