Q&A with Jean-Pierre Siouti, CFE

Jean-Pierre Siouti of Canada recently became a CFE after attending a virtual CFE Exam Review Course. Since becoming a CFE, Siouti feels that the credential has broadened his understanding of the risk of fraud while working on internal audits. When Siouti is not working, he enjoys keeping up with the latest modifications of his favorite performance cars.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Siouti: I was certified on September 16, 2020.

Coach: Please describe your experience of attending the four-day virtual CFE Exam Review Course. What did you like most about it?

Siouti: I enjoyed taking the virtual Review Course, and I found it to be very well organized in an efficient manner that made good use of the time allocated for the four days of the course. The breaks were well-timed and the transition from one topic to the next was efficient.

I found the instructors to be very knowledgeable about the topics being taught, and they provided good examples to help us understand the topics. The instructors were nice and approachable when we asked questions, and they kept our interest at a high level, despite the course being taught virtually.

I found that the course achieved its objective in helping us prepare for the CFE Exam.

Coach: Please describe your experience of taking the exam each day after class.

Siouti: I found it was the most effective and timely assessment of how well I learned the curriculum during the day.

Taking the exam made for long days that ended in the evening after completing the course during the day. However, as I completed each day of the course, I found that my enthusiasm and determination grew stronger. By the third day, I was motivated to get through the last two sections in a marathon-like stretch.

Coach: Did you review the Prep Course prior to attending the course? If so, how often did you study?

Siouti: Yes, I completed the Practice Exams in the Prep Course for each section during the four weeks prior to attending the Review Course to establish a baseline assessment of which sections and subsections I needed to spend more time on. Then, I read through the slide book that was provided with the course and completed all of the practice questions for each section. Finally, I retook the Practice Exams for each section a few days before the Review Course began, and on days two through four of the Review Course, I retook the Practice Exams in the morning before the course started. I think this strategy helped ensure my success on all four sections.

Coach: In what ways do you feel that your new CFE credential will be beneficial to you in your current profession?

Siouti: I think the CFE credential has broadened my understanding and perspective of the risk of fraud when I work on internal audits. The Fraud Triangle and the prevention and detection sections of the curriculum will help me better appreciate how the risk of fraud might impact the underlying root cause for internal audit observations that we identify.

The curriculum in the Law section helped me to grow my knowledge and better appreciate the different legal systems and their processes.

Coach: Would you recommend the virtual Review Course to your colleagues?

Siouti: Yes, I found the virtual Review Course to be efficient and highly effective in helping me prepare for the CFE Exam.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Siouti: As part of the risk assessments that our team works on, we assess and monitor the risk of fraud throughout the phases of the internal audits that we complete. I wanted to learn more about this risk to be able to better assess its implications on our planned audit approach. The CFE credential provided me with new knowledge that will enable me to provide more insightful and timely advice to senior management for audit observations related to the risk of fraud.

Coach: Now that we know what you do professionally, what do you like to do for fun and what do you find enjoyable about it?

Siouti: I have been passionate about performance cars since I was 13 years old. I always keep up with the latest technology and aftermarket performance modifications for my favorite performance cars, such as the Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette. I also manage my personal portfolio of investments that I research. I jog and do weight training at least five times per week to help maintain my physical health and mental sharpness.

Coach: Do you have any study tips or suggestions for aspiring CFEs?

Siouti: I recommend that they complete as many of the review and practice questions as they can to help build their knowledge of how the questions are structured.

I found that debriefing the questions that I did not do well on in a timely manner helped increase the probability of my success on the CFE Exam.

Having at least a few years of experience before attempting the CFE Exam will help candidates better understand and appreciate the curriculum being tested in the exam questions.