To ask when you use the letters after your name and in what order...

[TroublesomeEx]

I have a degree, a pgce and I'm just completing a diploma through the OU. I'll be starting an MA in the next couple of years.

I've never put the letters after my name. Does anyone else?

I'm only really asking because I'm just starting up working freelance and my qualifications are relevant to what I do, but I also think that it might look a bit stuffy if I have them after my name (given that I work with parents and young children and sometimes vulnerable young parents and children). I do want people to know what my quals are, but not as though I wear them as a badge, or in a way that it might present a barrier. IYSWIM.

What do other people do?

Oh and do you put them in hierarchical or chronological order?

Thanks

BA(hons), MCIPD

but I never use them at all

Mm, yes, my field is one where there are many routes in. Some people have an academic background, some have a vocational background, some people have both. Then within that, some people have different vocational backgrounds and different academic backgrounds, so it isn't as though everyone will have the same, or even necessarily similar qualifications/backgrounds so it does help for people to know.

Not so that they can make a judgement on quality, but because it enables people to select a professional with the skills to best meet their needs, given that people in my field tend to work in many different settings and with a variety of people.

So now I'm thinking it probably is necessary to use them on a business correspondence, but not at other times. So far, I've never put them! And I think I will go with hierarchical.

Just to be clear, the badge I mentioned in my OP was metaphorical and not real!

There are also people with no background of which to speak but who seem to think they can do it anyway. I really want to be separated from them!!

They are on my CV, and when I recieve post from my professional body then they include all of my letters after my name on the envolope.

It is important for me, because I'm in a poorly-defined field, and whilst everyone has a BSc, not everyone has professional qualifications or post-grad qualifications.

If I set up as freelance after this baby's out then I will include them on my business card: this is more important if you are a freelancer then if you are working for a company which has clearly hired you and has QA proceedures and other ways to give people confience that you know what you are doing.

I've never listed mine. In fact, there are more letters after my surname than there is in it but actually, I find the whole practice of listing them pretentious in the extreme. When writing a CV I include those qualifications that make up the letters but that's it. I did work for a local authority who wanted them on my business card but I refused, as did several colleagues.

I do remember advising my assistant director that OBE (in her case it definitely stood for Other Bugger's Efforts) on her card would look naff but she wasn't having it. So we just sniggered all the more when she insisted on having a new nameplate on her door just in case anyone was allowed to forget it.

Had them on a business card (once). I just put them in order.

I would put them if relevant on a business card, in the order Batchelor, Masters, Doctorate; with I guess post graduate diploma between Batchelor and Masters, DH puts his professional ones after. Oh and if you have Doctorate you have to decide to call yourself Dr. or out the Phd (unless you are a medical doctor too). If you are a vicar it is Reverand Dr., and if you have a Doctor of Divinity that comes after a Phd (as does DSc, but that comes before divinity as its lower status).

Good guideline from Rhubarb - use professionally but not socially.

I've an undergraduate degree and about 4 professional qualifications, and I answer technical queries from external clients on email, plus run training sessions.

I put my qualifications in my email signature and on the introductory sheet of any presentations I do - it gives trainees/people with queries some confidence that their query has reached the right place, or that they are being trained by someone with some expertise in the subject.

You do get some people who just won't take your word on something unless they can see that you have an external professional qualification so it's handier to show them as default in professional communications.

I also like the use of the qualifications when someone is being arsey - it's great to see the behaviour change when they see the letters!

I use them all the time, but this is the norm in my industry and there is industry protocol as to how they are listed.
Batchelor degrees (in order obtained) Masters degree (in order obtained) doctoral professional advanced qualifications certs first dips next professional membership comes last.

Mine are MA FIA! I never bother with them though.

I agree with others who say just use them professionally but not socially. I have a degree, Masters and a PhD but no-one would ever know it unless I told them. I only put Dr on official forms or professionally and just use Ms at other times. Don't think I've ever put all the letters after my name but just the Dr prefix is enough in my line of work (research).

I'm a wee bit of a shy character irl though so don't like drawing attention to the fact I have a PhD in my day to day life. In a professional capacity I don't see anything wrong with it though, it shows you are qualified to do your job. You might find the parents you work with are comforted by your qualifications, they won't think you're stuffy unless you come across that way OP (and you don't sound stuffy to me).

onthebottom - I agree its good to use the qualifications when someone is being arsey or patronising (a certain breed of gp ime). The gear tends to shift when they realise I have just as much access to medical research as they do

I use mine when it's relevant, but if/when I finish my Ph.D. in 2014, I intend to have the letters tattooed on my forehead!

I use mine on my CV and on official forms.

You don't use both the BSc and MSc in the same subject, the MSc has superseded the BSc. Same way that you stop putting BA after your name once you have a PhD if it is the same subject.

Wikipedia has a decent page on the orders

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-nominal_letters

if someone gets arsey with me and calls me 'Miss Waiting' I reply 'actually it's Dr Waiting.'

You mean all this time people who called me MrPD were being arsey as opposed to being polite. If I ever see those bastards again .....

Why is it being arsey? I'm assuming that you are a medical doctor. If so, and you are outside your hospital or GP surgery then why do you expect someone on the outside to address you as Dr? I have a friend who is an army captain. He doesn't expect to be called 'Captain' when he is off base on personal time

Having said that .... I won't wheel out the wife's letters but she programs missile systems so she has the letters to go with the job description. It really cracked her up one day when DC's primary school head started talking down to her as if she was 'just' a SAHM

I list mine as Scurryfunge BEd (hons), pathfinder, home help, 50m swimming cert. Everyone is usually dead impressed.

I used to laugh my arse off at my manager who put all his letters after his name. It's just so silly. You don't treat people better because they're educated.

I am, for the record, yellowraincoat MA(Hons). Causes no end of problems trying to explain why I have a Masters but no Bachelors because of the Scottish university system.

I have mine on my business cards and also in the autosignature on my work emails. Don't use them otherwise.

I am self-employed so it's probably different if you are an employee.

Business cards - just my profession's 'letters'

General correspondence ditto, but if I am bidding for a commission or providing a report / 'opinion' i.e. a client will rely on this e.g. to make a decision then I will list the 'full set' i.e. degrees and other non-professional but relevant letters.

Any other circumstances, probably not.

I do smile sometimes at the proliferation of 'instiutions', membership of which seems to which entitle people to display a string of letters, few of which I recognise...

Pendeen CD DVD BBC ITC 2CV

I have three sets but never use them, it makes me cringe unless on a business card or similar. I worked in a field where practical experience counts for more than qualifications usually so I guess that colours my personal preference.

I replied to a freecycle ad once and the 'giver' got back to me and ended the email by 'kind regards, twat twattier BA (Hons)'.

I found it a bit odd...

I never use mine, I am keeping that bit free for my OBE.