Put degree or credentials on business card?

shootist16

shootist16

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What is the proper etiquette for putting a degree abbreviation after your name on business cards, etc.?
 
Most of the "professionals" that I work with have their title or credentials on their cards (Esq.; CPA; MD; etc). Don't know what's proper for others.
 
I've seen this question asked a lot, and the answers are all over the place, so I'd suggest googling an answer.

What I've been told is if it's a business card then it's ok to list certain industry specific credentials(like a doctor might put FACS but not that and MD since if you have one the other is implied) but not others, like an MBA. If you're a consultant, say, and have a PhD it would probably be aporopriate to list that, but not with a "Dr" in front of the name as well. I've seen sales and tech guys who have certifications for certain things list the highest level one on their card, but not all the ones they have--that's what a resume is for.

Professions seem to have their own rules, so there may be a more specific answer to be found with someone who is in that field--or ask a printer who does cards, I'd bet they have an idea.
 
Yes, it varies by profession and violating the unwritten rules for your profession can be seen as either unprofessional or pretentious.

One basic rule is that you do not put a credential on your card twice. You don't write Dr. John Smith, MD. You're either Dr. John Smith or John Smith, MD. You don't put Jane Smith, JD, Attorney at Law. You're either Jane Smith, JD or (almost always in the case of an attorney) Jane Smith, Attorney.

The other rule is that you don't put credentials on your card which are not relevant to the business being presented by that card. So, if Jane Smith is both an Attorney and a CPA, well those are related credentials and she can and should put both. But, if John Smith is both an MD and a CPA, it's gonna depend on what his business is. If he's got a family medical practice and does taxes on the side, well those both separate businesses and he's gonna need two cards. But, if he works as a financial consultant for doctors, he might put both on his card.

The other general rule is to list only the highest-level qualification you have. So, Bob Brown, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. may seem impressive, but it's inappropriate. A Ph.D. implies a Master's and a Bachelor's degree or equivilent. So, it's proper to say just Bob Brown, Ph.D.

If you have two equivilent-level degrees, it depends on your business. For example, Doris Brown, MD, JD. If she has left law and is practicing just as a doctor, then she should leave off the JD. If she's given up medicine and is persuing a legal career, then she should drop the MD. But, if her legal career is specialized in medical malpractice, then both may be appropriate.

A person with two unrelated and independently-earned credentials, that person faces a similar situation. Albert Johnson, CPA, MFA. If he's working as an art dealer, then be MFA and leave the CPA off. If he's working as an accountant, then be CPA and leave the MFA off. If he's got two separate businesses going on, then separate cards are required. Only if he has combined the two into one practice, accounting for art patrons or Chief Financial Officer for an art museum, some such thing, should he list both.
 
Well I can weigh in a bit for the technology field as that is where I am at least trying to find work. I have generally seen the tendancy is to put at least some of your certifications on your card, but not necessarily any degrees as the field has a tendancy to not have such a huge emphasis on degrees, although it is changing. Anyway I have generally noticed that the highest level of certification, and the most relevant ones only are put on the card. I have also seen that it is usually done using the certification logo provided by whoever does the certification. If you have the higher levels it is understood that the lower level certifications would be needed in order to get the higher level ones.
 
I only put a selection of relevent technical qualifications on my card, and I only do that because it reassures customers I give the card to that we know what we are talking about (!)

I miss out irrelevent technical qualifications and also academic qualifications. Out of the people you give your card to, who cares if you have a BSc or an MBA or a Masters in horse nutrition, or astronomy, or marine biology...?

I would agree with Gollnicks advice as a guideline, what is your job? do any of the qualification you have help prove your competency in that job? and do the people you give your card to care? for example I would list chartered engineer, medical doctor, lawyer etc qualificaitons if I were working in that field, but I wouldnt list that I were a qualified lawyer if I were working as a computer consultant, and I wouldnt list common qualificaitons like a BSc, seems pretentious to me.
 
I also agree with Gollnick, but I will add that some fields require that you only add academic credentials. For example, I hold a series 7 and 66, but cannot put registered representative on a business card, and can only use Financial Advisor because I have a 66, and only if I am working in that capacity. ChFC, CFA, and CFP have a test and specific coursework that must be completed, and as such, can be put on a business card.
 
Gollnick said:
The other general rule is to list only the highest-level qualification you have. So, Bob Brown, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. may seem impressive, but it's inappropriate. A Ph.D. implies a Master's and a Bachelor's degree or equivilent. So, it's proper to say just Bob Brown, Ph.D.
Click to expand...

Not always...

Many medical schools offer a BS-MD program. My University offers several BA/BS-PhD programs. Saying that a PhD means there is an MSomething somewhere isn't accurate.
 
Never claimed it was, but in this case, it is fully acceptable to put an MD and an MS together.

Also, I could have gone through the 7-year program at UT. 7 years, from Freshman through 3 post-grad, and I would have my PhD. I'd thus be a BS/PhD, no MS in the middle.
 
From my understanding, the only time those designators should be there is when they are required for the job they perform (such as MD, PhD, or RN).

There are other credentials that can be used, such as special licensing for a specific job (such as credentials for real estate agents).

But what's tacky is when they have alphabet soup after their name. If you have a doctorate, it's implied you have a masters and bachelors degree. No need to list them, too. Some professionals have may special licenses. At that point, listing a couple is good enough...pick the most important and list those. Remember that what's on a card or letterhead is not for stroking their ego (though that's often the motivator), it's for communicating to their clients.

Typically, bachelor and associate degrees are never put on cards or letterhead. Sometimes, masters degrees can be used, but in my opinion, only when it's are requirement for the job they have.

Also, if one puts MD after their name, they are not to also put Dr. in front of it (a repetitive redundancy)

A pet peeve of mine are non-medical "doctors" (those who have doctorate degrees) who need to be referred to as "Doctor" (such as those with engineering doctorates...and, though likely unpopular, psychologists without medical degrees).
 
You can certainly get a Ph.D. without actually getting a Masters. This is especially common in sciences and medicine. People who wash out of the Ph.D. program are given the Masters and a box of Rice-A-Ronie. But, the Ph.D. implies that you have the equivilent accomplishment of a Masters degree even if you were never actually given that specific scrap of pigskin.

If you have a doctorate, be it Ph.D., M.D., J.D., whatever, you don't list lower degrees in the same field. And you don't list lesser degrees in an unrelated field unless they're somehow related to the business your business card promotes. Consider a certain Robert Smith who has a master of fine arts specialized in Renaissance paintings, and who discovered that there's virtually no jobs for that so went back and finished his Juris Doctorate and is now a lawyer. Should he put Robert Smith, JD, MFA? Only if his MFA is somehow relevant to his legal practice, somehow makes him better qualified. If he's legal practice is in family law, probably not. If his legal practice specializes in the issues surrounding the ownership of fine art, maybe.

Military honorifics are always acceptible, but generally discouraged if they don't relate to your business. So, you can put Col. John Smith (USAF-Ret.), M.D. if you want. If you're medical practice is focused on military or ex-military patients, maybe with the VA, that might be appropriate.
 
Ron Andersen said:
A pet peeve of mine are non-medical "doctors" (those who have doctorate degrees) who need to be referred to as "Doctor" (such as those with engineering doctorates...
Click to expand...


People who have non-medical doctorates generally use Dr. only in professional or academic settings.

My pet peeve: medical doctors who insist on being called doctor at all times by everyone.

"Mr. Smith, your table is ready."

"That's DOCTOR Smith!"

"Sorry."

All I can say is it better be an operating room table they're discussing.
 
On the Phd/MD issue, couldn't the excessive appearance of both degrees be avoided with more helpful information on another line?

Dr Joe Smith (or Joe Smith, PhD)
Proctology

A proctologist surely doesn't just have a doctorate in fine art or whatever.
 
On the Phd/MD issue, couldn't the excessive appearance of both degrees be avoided with more helpful information on another line?

Dr Joe Smith (or Joe Smith, PhD)
Proctology

A proctologist surely doesn't just have a doctorate in fine art or whatever.
Click to expand...

An excellent suggestion, Mr. Carl64.

The dual M.D./Ph.D. usually comes from doing extra reseach work while at medical school. It's basically a research/academic credential but an M.D. is also awarded to acknowledge that this person has completed all the requirements of an M.D., which is a valuable degree, perhaps more valuable than a Ph.D. These people are less likely to go on to become clinical doctors, but if they do, then the title they use is the one that's appropriate for the situation. In the Clinic, Jane Smith, M.D. When publishing in a research journal, Jane Smith, Ph.D. Never Jane Smith, Ph.D., M.D. because that's essentially claiming two credits for what is mostly the same work.

This is true in any dual-degree situation. You don't claim two credientials that come mostly from the same work even if two were awarded.
 
I don't see anything wrong with putting MBA in certain situations where it can gain marketing advantages. For example, it might make sense for a Realtor who works with a financially-savvy investor clientele. The MBA suggests to prospective clientele that this is no ordinary Realtor but one who understands finance and investments (not saying that it's true, but it's a marketing image), which would be relevant to the transaction.
 
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