Update 2: Got my results back finally. I passed with flying colours! Turns out one of the guys sitting the CGEIT was actually from my office (new hire in the Audit/Risk team). I will at some stage come back and write up a study guide (seeing as the exam is only twice a year I have a bit of time to put it up).
Update: Hey all … just a real quick update. I sat the CISM exam yesterday. It was as I expected, not too easy, not too hard .. Will I pass?? Who knows (I have to wait for 2 months to find out though). There was about 20 people taking various ISACA exams, 2 were for the CISM, 2 were for the CGEIT, and the rest were doing CISA (I kinda wish I’d done a CISA now – but i’ll do that one in June I think). All in all it was a very similar experience to the CISSP exam (as in the examination process), 200 multiple choice questions in 4 hours. There was no big stand outs for me … just a couple of really trick questions, and some questions I had no idea about what so ever (eliminate all stupid answers and took and educational guess). Anyway .. I’m off on holidays now, away from all computers. I might make a post when I get back on my whole study plan etc for the exam and some deeper thoughts, hopefully it’ll help someone out in the June exam!
Well, I’ve been pretty quiet over the last few weeks (or is it months, I can never really tell). There’s the usual Christmas rush, I’m sure all companies go through it .. you shut down for Christmas so everyone is in a rush to get all the things they’ve put off for the year done before THEY go on holidays! Anyway, this year I did things a bit smarter this year, I’ve taken some time off during that busy rush period (hahah suckers) so I can study for my CISM exam (the actual exam is on the 13th of December) .. then have a week off .. then back to work just as everyone is leaving to go on holidays.
Anyway .. as I said earlier I’ll be sitting my CISM exam in the coming weeks, so i’ve been furiously studying to get ready (and I really think i’m well prepared for this exam). I’ve been using this great little collaboration site (zoho.com) to keep all the notes i’ve taken while I was studying for future reference, and to help anyone else out. They are by no means a complete study guide that will prepare you and get you through an exam .. but they could be good as a quick reference while you’re studying.. or back at the office or something.
Click here for the CISM study notes
I hope this helps someone out there .. like I said, it’s more for my own personal reference at a later more than anything. As with any exam you should always try and get the official study material (it’s not always possible, I had such a hard time when I was studying for my CISSP exam .. and as soon as I did the exam I saw the official study guide in every bookstore i went to), and if you really struggle with getting your head around things hit a bootcamp or knowledge session or something.
Hopefully i’ll be able to update this post in a few weeks with news that i’ve passed (or maybe failed – booo). WhenI pass i’ll try and do another post with some helpful study tips. Keep in mind that ISACA only do the exams every 6 months – plenty of time to get ready for the next exam 
