Q & A with Tiffney Rayford
/July interview:
Tiffney Rayford of Georgia became a CFE after attending the Atlanta CFE Exam Review Course. In Tiffney’s downtime, she enjoys working out and working around her home planting beautiful flowers. Tiffney also loves traveling to different beaches. But recently, Tiffney put some of that fun time aside to accomplish her goal of obtaining the CFE credential. Combined with her experience as a manager of internal audit, the knowledge Tiffney obtained through attending the CFE Exam Review Course will aid her in identifying red flags that could possibly indicate the potential for, or evidence of, fraud.
Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?
Rayford: I completed the CFE Exam Review Course on April 30, 2015, and passed all four parts during the four-day course. I received the email stating that I could use my credential on May 12, 2015.
Coach: You attended the CFE Exam Review Course in Atlanta and following the course you sat for the CFE Exam on-site. Please describe your experience of participating in the 4-day course and then sitting for the exam immediately after.
Rayford: Participating in the four-day course and sitting for the exam immediately after was INTENSE. Intense, but the instructors did an excellent job of going over the material and making sure that the principles were understood before those of us who wanted to take the exam on-site actually did so.
Coach: What did you like most about the CFE Exam Review Course?
Rayford: The CFE Exam Review Course was excellent because the instructors were knowledgeable. We were given an opportunity to ask questions, and real-life examples were used to ensure that we could relate the topics to our everyday professional lives.
Coach: In what ways do you feel that your new CFE credential will be beneficial to you in your current profession?
Rayford: My new CFE credential has given me the proficiency needed to add value in the area of fraud, waste, and abuse reviews.
Coach: How did you prepare yourself to sit for the exam on-site? Did you spend any additional time studying after class each day?
Rayford: I began studying about two months prior to attending the four-day on-site course. I studied for two hours per day, at least five days per week. I normally took time off on the weekends.
Coach: Would you recommend this course to your colleagues?
Rayford: I would highly recommend this course to my colleagues.
Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud? Rayford: I am a manager in the Internal Audit department at MARTA. I feel strongly that it is my responsibility to the Authority to help mitigate fraud by ensuring that proper controls are in place and/or detecting as much fraud as possible. In every review conducted, we look for those red flags that could possibly indicate the potential for, or evidence 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?
Rayford: In my downtime, I love to work out in the yard, planting flowers and keeping everything beautiful around the house. My other love is the beach, so I travel to a beautiful body of water as often as I can. Doing so calms me.
Coach: Do you have any study tips or suggestions for aspiring CFEs?
Rayford: The key to passing the exam is to take time to work through the four sections of the material, answer the study questions in the Prep Course, and participate in the four-day review course.
