Writing MBA after your name.

[amcnj]

My favorite advanced degree story involved my daughter and her middle school principal. She called him Mr. X one day, and he immediately asked her what she had said, and stated he was to be referred to as Dr. X. Well a few years later he accepted a position in a FL school system, and they must have done credential checks down there, as they discovered he did not have a doctorate degree after all!

 

[Sandeep1]

My favorite advanced degree story involved my daughter and her middle school principal. She called him Mr. X one day, and he immediately asked her what she had said, and stated he was to be referred to as Dr. X. Well a few years later he accepted a position in a FL school system, and they must have done credential checks down there, as they discovered he did not have a doctorate degree after all!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Or maybe she worked hard for what she earned.

It has already been established one of em came from an on line shady outfit. Do you think our best and brightest get degrees from such places?

 

[Skippy918]

I’ve seen people put their MBA credentials in their linked in profile (ex. John Smith, MBA). I have not seen mba in a work email signature.

 

[bcla]

Professional designations seem different to me than degrees. I kind of need to know if you're a real doctor, accountant etc. The thing about the MBA that sort of strikes me as odd is that it just isn't that impressive--even if you're in a position where everyone has an MBA, I guess especially if you are. It kind of makes me think less of them, there's just something about being inappropriately proud of certain things. I have never even considered putting any of my degrees in my email signature.

I'd be curious if anyone would think of putting an undergraduate business degree on a business card or email sig. I don't believe too many call it a B.B.A. though.

 

[Sandeep1]

I’ve seen people put their MBA credentials in their linked in profile (ex. John Smith, MBA). I have not seen mba in a work email signature.

That is totally fine. Linked In started off as a place to basically upload your resume and network. So putting your educational accomplishments makes total sense.

 

[sam_gordon]

I thought about this some more and came up with the following question...

Who even reads an email signature? My email program tells me who sent it. I'll look at it if I need a phone number, but I don't pay attention to what people put after their names.

 

[Scifidiner]

At the company I work for everyone includes some inspirational, insipid, idiotic quote from some "thinker" in their signature.
So I choose a line from Ghostbusters attributed to Dr. Ray Stantz.
I use a professional designation, attained at a real brick and mortar major university. It's required, so that whomever gets the email knows I'm qualified to do my job.

 

[LilyWDW]

Where I work (Finance and Accounting positions for the state), there are a lot of people with an MBA or such. ONE person puts it in their email. None of the rest of us do.

 

[arminnie]

I think it's stupid. I have an MBA from the top business school in the world (according to most). I rarely even mention it. Judge me on what I am doing now - not where I went to school.

 

[tzolkin]

I work in the medical field, it's actually mandated in some documentation.

This is exactly what I was going to post. Everyone my husband works with has all of their information listed in their email signature. It's not "bragging"-- the institution requires everyone to list everything. Perhaps it's not common in other fields, but this seems to be in line with what others are posting for medicine and academia. (It's also interesting to me that everyone seems to agree that it's okay for doctors to list that, but not okay for an MBA. I know several doctors who also list MBA in their email signatures.)

I find it odd that a 4 year degree designation would be on someone's signature.

One example where I have seen this countless times is nursing. An RN is an associates level degree, so any nurse with a bachelors is indicated as "RN, BSN". Some positions require a bachelors, some a masters, so this is why the distinction is made. Not only is this listed in their email signatures, it's also printed right on their identification badge that everyone sees.

 

[Sandeep1]

An M.D. is important because it distinguishes one from a D.O. or a nursing practitioner. Although there is nothing wrong with a D.O. or a nursing practitioner, I only go to doctors with an M.D. Just personal preference.

 

[tvguy]

One example where I have seen this countless times is nursing. An RN is an associates level degree, so any nurse with a bachelors is indicated as "RN, BSN". Some positions require a bachelors, some a masters, so this is why the distinction is made. Not only is this listed in their email signatures, it's also printed right on their identification badge that everyone sees.

Nursing can get complicated because there are specialty certifications that could put an RN at a higher qualification level and pay scale than an RN, BSN. My mom had a 3 year degree (she went to nursing school in Canada) and took continuing education to get certifications in Orthopedic and Ophthalmologic surgery.

 

[EllNat11]

Our IT Department sets the parameters for our signatures - currently it's just name and title, a year ago before they made that change, it was alphabet soup, but only for folks with a masters degree or higher, or license/certification designation. I'm glad it's gone - while it certainly doesn't bother me if others have theirs, it felt a little pretentious to me (my opinion only) to add the alphabet soup after my name.

 

[jlmarr]

Frasier:
Everyone, I'd like you to meet my date, Dr. Lilith Sternin: MD, PhD, EDD, APA.

Woody:
Boy, it sure isn't spelled like it sounds.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I think it's stupid. I have an MBA from the top business school in the world (according to most). I rarely even mention it. Judge me on what I am doing now - not where I went to school.

I think as we age, that really becomes more relevant. By the time many folks are in their 50’s, the education they had in their teens & early 20’s becomes less & less relevant to what they’re doing NOW. I know I spent multiple semesters on specific (and difficult) skills that have been completely obsoleted by technological advances.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

This is exactly what I was going to post. Everyone my husband works with has all of their information listed in their email signature. It's not "bragging"-- the institution requires everyone to list everything. Perhaps it's not common in other fields, but this seems to be in line with what others are posting for medicine and academia. (It's also interesting to me that everyone seems to agree that it's okay for doctors to list that, but not okay for an MBA. I know several doctors who also list MBA in their email signatures.)


One example where I have seen this countless times is nursing. An RN is an associates level degree, so any nurse with a bachelors is indicated as "RN, BSN". Some positions require a bachelors, some a masters, so this is why the distinction is made. Not only is this listed in their email signatures, it's also printed right on their identification badge that everyone sees.

Again, it’s assumed (right or wrong) that every advancement one makes in medical education will make them better at the job they have in the medical field. That’s why it’s appropriate in that field.

OTOH, if you’re an engineer with an MBA, it’s not assumed that makes you a better engineer. If anything, it’s assumed it doesn’t.

 

[arminnie]

I know I spent multiple semesters on specific (and difficult) skills that have been completely obsoleted by technological advances.

I wrote operating systems and telecommunications software in mainframe assembler language many, many moons ago.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

It is somewhat acceptable for someone in my line of work to indicate their profession/degree after their name. And yet, I would never do it. It is somewhat acceptable for my husband to indicate his profession before his name (as well as his degree after it), and yet he would never do so outside of professional correspondence.

Doctors need to be identified, because they have certain professional requirements that the rest of us don't, and for which they may be called upon at any time. I was once in a professional/administrative meeting and the two people in the room with MD after their names both had to run out and resucitate a kid who had drowned in the pool next door. No one will ever need my to know about my JD in an emergency.

 

[Sandeep1]

No one will ever need my to know about my JD in an emergency.

Unless someone commits a crime in front of you and then says "I think I'd better call a lawyer." Knowing you have a JD would come in handy.