nobody can touch my accomplishments… MFE, SAT (>1400), Rhodes Scholar 2000, Beer Pong Champion 2000-2001, GRE (2100), MFE, 78th place NYC Marathon 2004 (Age 25-29), CFA, Best Dad 2006-2007 (expected 2008)
Turkish, I do not understand either. Then again I never understood why in Japan we had to care about degrees of angle we bowed depending upon the importance of the person we bowed to and/or depending upon why you were bowing. I guess it is just the way it is. >What are thoughts of your title in your e-mail signature, yes or no? I never put my bachelor degree anywhere. I put MBA and CFA, like I said, going with the flow. I try to delete MBA when I email out of country, but I forget sometimes. I am sure they thought I was a “dork”. I also noticed some who deal with US business have only CFA on their card where some people who operate exclusively in Canada have as many letters as they have.
I’ve seen “Havard MBA or Sloan MBA” on resumes, which may or may not make sense. If I see a person using “MBA” as a designation, I would guess that person is in sales and couldn’t cut in corporate management.
GOD, this is one of the small things that really irritates me! As was stated earlier, if it isn’t a designation, it shouldn’t be on a business card. End of story. In no way am I demeaning the degree but it’s just not proper etiquette and one comes off as pompous. Additionally, I don’t consider an MBA an ‘advanced degree.’ One look at a financial firm’s job postings and they clearly distinguish between MBAs and advanced degree holders (ie PhD, MD, JD, etc).
“i dont’ see why putting CFA or MBA on your card is cheezy. half the people that do these things do it to show other people anyways.” I think that pretty much sums it up.
The president of a company I worked for long ago loved to give out business cards cards that read “Kevin Smith, Janitor” [not his real name]. I always thought that was funny. I don’t think MBA on a card is so out of line, but it does make me wonder if MBA is the best thing that the person has going for themselves, that they need to emphasize it on the card, when many MBAs don’t. There are a lot of MBAs, and I would hope that there’s something more distinguishing about a person. Maybe if the person looks so young that you might doubt how much they know, but then again, MBA, while useful, is not really a substitute for experience.
“, MBA” and “, CFA” are pretty lame; however, “, BSD” is 100% appropriate and completely professional.
I really only see MBA on sales people’s cards…even if it is a PM, it’s a PM that does a lot of sales/marketing as well. My previous boss had an MBA, LLB and was a charterholder…he only had CFA on his card.
>I really only see MBA on sales people’s cards…even if it is a PM, it’s a PM that does a lot of sales/marketing as well. That’s a good point. Maybe I reconsider my email signature.
the end result is, people want to be credited for something. its like driving a nice car and having a hot girl to bring to a dinner. its all to me a form of conspicuous consumption. I think in the finance industry though, conspicuous consumption is all the more prevalent. why else do people feel the need to wear 10k suits? when i have these dumb clients calling in and getting mad cause i don’t address them as “Dr. MEathead” and when i see what hteir occupation is, and I see Dentist or Chiroprator I do get upset. whether it is appropriate or not is a matter of perspective and subject to change. i mean, is it really any different other then in degree when annoucing Lennox Lewis as “former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world” or when we address Mayweather as “pretty”. Lets just give each other their due praise and keep it moving.
If you look at engineers, they don’t put academic degrees (B. Eng.) on their business cards. They use their professional designation, P. Eng. Why should finance be any different? MBA, no CFA, maybe Still waiting to hear if it’s dorky to hang your degrees. If it looks stupid on your business card wouldn’t the same apply to your wall, especially at the office?
I know everyone has their preference, but I think it’s kind of lame when I see MBA on a card or an email signature. I also think it’s kind of badass when friends of mine who work at big law don’t have esq after their name on their email sig/biz card I also think it’s lame when people have too much going on after their name… Antonio Gates, CPA, JD, CVA, LLM, SCGREA
> I also think it’s lame when people have too much > going on after their name… > > Antonio Gates, CPA, JD, CVA, LLM, SCGREA Good point diesel, to add to that, I hate most when nobody would have a f$%^&in clue what the initials mean. Hell, if I can’t recognize it, is it really that prestigious then? LLB, CFA, MD, P. Eng., CA, CPA…ok, but what the hell is a PMV or a TCA?
If you have more than 8 characters after the comma it probably means you have no life…
I’ve seen… John Smith, CSC, CPH, PFP, CIM, FMA, FCSI, A-B-C, 1-2-3 willy
clos83 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If you have more than 8 characters after the comma > it probably means you have no life… its not really that hard or uncommon to get 8 letters after your name. you should lower your standards, or rather, readjust them. perhaps 12 letters or 14 letters. most people these days have either MA or Msc, MBA, along with PHD, CFA, FRM, CAIA, CA or CPA. i say anything more then 12 is excess baggage. This goes along with other measurements of endowment as well…
FrankArabia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > clos83 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > If you have more than 8 characters after the > comma > > it probably means you have no life… > > its not really that hard or uncommon to get 8 > letters after your name. you should lower your > standards, or rather, readjust them. perhaps 12 > letters or 14 letters. > > most people these days have either MA or Msc, MBA, > along with PHD, CFA, FRM, CAIA, CA or CPA. > > i say anything more then 12 is excess baggage. > This goes along with other measurements of > endowment as well… Frank’s right. 12 is the answer. Therefore, you should think long and hard about wasting after-name space on CAIA or LIFA, and stick with the more efficient MA or CA. You should also realize the the ridiculousness of this whole thread.
Should those letters be serif or nonserif font?
I believe that the common belieft (as preached in academia circles) is it is not appropriate (in the US) to place MBA. It does belong on resume or CV at the most (perhaps framed on your office wall if you have your "love me section’) Of course, this comes from PhD’s–why would that be different? Because they had to challenge a board for their dissertation? I’m not sure, I’m just asking. IMHO: CFA, CFP, CPA, MD, DDS, JD are some appropriate designations which belong on cards because they are professional credentials.
My highwater market for letters is a… 1. Is it a designation? [i.e. did you have to qualify for it and continually pay for it and sign some form of code or oath or whatever]. Degrees aren’t really designations since you don’t have to keep signing a pledge or oath or whatever year-after-year. 2. Is it relevant? [i.e. John Smith, CFA, MBA is probably fine if the guy is a PM like me…but really MBA should be in the office or biographical section of the website and less so after one’s name…but who cares that’s still fine]. 3. Will it make chicks notice YOU or your designations? This is key. There is no sense having a hottie look at your card and go “Wow, what a lozer, look at all these courses he’s done, he must suck in bed”. Instead, less is more, “Wow, this guy is a CFA, I heard they can go for hours”. 4. Would Willy, upon viewing your card, want to punch you in the face? This is key also as I wouldn’t hesitate in the least, I’m getting older and sometimes just slapping someone out is the best thing to do. Willy