Reasons why you shouldn't do this
Look at how frequently M7 MBAs do this and look at how frequently University of Phoenix MBAs do this.
Look at linkedin and see the industries where this is most frequent. It is typically salesy kinds of jobs with zero barriers to entry such as selling whole life insurance or realtors, or something that involves wearing a name tag.
The only people who it will impress will be people who can't help you.
You put this on your card and anyone who can help you will assume you went to the University of Phoenix until proven otherwise.
See above and when proven otherwise said person won't cut you a break for not knowing better.
I went to a top 40 program and I'm seeing a lot of people putting this on their LinkedIn profiles. This is getting under my skin because I'd hate to see my alma mater with its gray zone ranking (25-40) get a bad wrap. I also think this is totally cheesy to boot.
Just had to rant. Monkeys - feel free to add more to the list.
I disagree with that statement. I think it makes you a giant loser instead.
Let's not get mired in semantics
Don't.Do.It.
I did this for a while about a year after starting my current job when I got asked if I had to be let out of Home Room to attend a meeting.
Once I established myself, I stopped. It did help with some recognition at the onset, but after a while it very much becomes #6.
A guy at my last job had JD/MBA in his email signature which seemed reasonable to me because a JD was noteworthy and why not throw the MBA in there too. Otherwise it would annoy me.
I would include it if I were a realtor. Also probably if I ran a tax accounting shop in Billings, MT.
Only people I ever see doing this are people who went to shitty MBA programs. The MBA is a degree, it isn't a certification.
I've always found this to be highly correlated to the school itself, so always just figured it was people in the career services at those schools telling everyone to do it.
The answer is don't do it. Ever. And if you're at one of those schools it's your duty to go forth and spread this message. Good luck.
Before you do it, make sure you had "Incoming MBA candidate" while you were waiting to enroll.
I saw a XXX Engineering Intern (Incoming) the other day.
I've seen people do John Smith, MSc.
What do you guys think about people who use the CFA suffix (John Smith, CFA)?
Way more acceptable, but I still think it looks bizarre. However, check any traditional AM big shot and if they've done it you'll still probably see it with CFA after the comma. Some firms simply put it on your business card regardless without even asking you, as long as you have the designation.
It's definitely cool to have the CFA if you work in AM or HF. So I really don't have anything against it. What I'm seing is that many people, who maybe didn't go to top schools, use it as a suffix behind their names. Usually if somebody went to H/W/S for an MBA, they just put the CFA on their resume without the suffix.
I'm not saying that one way is better than the other. This is simply an observation...
not comparable, CFA and CPA are professional designations. MBA is a degree.
"not comparable, CFA and CPA are professional designations. MBA is a degree."
this
I think it's pretty ridiculous looking as well and I would personally never do it.
As OP put it, the only people who it will impress will be people who can't help you.
I agree that it's way more common though. And I believe in some jurisdictions (Canada, South Africa, maybe some others) it's a requirement for professionals in money management or securities dealing roles, so they put it in their name and business cards more often.
I'm a CPA, but don't list it after my name. That being said, listing CPA or CFA as a suffix is completely acceptable.
Anyone who is having trouble wrapping their head around this concept look at it this way:
You would never write Mantis Tobaggan, B.A.; or Mantis Tobaggan, B.S on your linkedin/CV/Resume, so why would it be any different with an MBA?
thats because you would obviously write Dr. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.
A fair point, haha
Thank you for posting this. Taking a quick look through linkedin and the people with the ,MBA are pretty much clowns.
Without fail, whenever you see someone list "MBA" as a suffix, they went to a joke program.
It's worse than the people who call themselves "a MBA" as in "I'm a MBA" but not by much.
Keeping your LinkedIn connections pure of stupidity is a very important part of LinkedIn being useful whatsoever.
Immediately indicates incompetence and self-esteem issues; not far behind is listing executive education as an actual accomplishment
Saw this on LinkedIn... even worse, it's someone who went to McCombs, my alma matter.
Pretty cringe worthy when I see it.
Some pretty high profile people (entrepeneurs, bank CEO's) in my home country list HBS one-week executive courses in their LinkedIn education section. I find it pathetic! Everyone can buy themselves on to those courses...
MBA in signature = Hold this L
Kanye will prob go to HBS next and do this
Even if you think that it should be OK, recognize that 50% of people in the professional world will think you're a jackass and laugh at you behind your back for putting MBA behind your name. So why risk the negative connotation?
Prof designations can and should be placed behind your name (CFA, CPA, etc) if you're working in a relevant industry, or even a semi-relevant industry/role. I.e. if you're a strategy consultant with a CPA, cool. If you did a career about face and work in medicine, there is zero value add to using it.
What do you guys think about people putting their GPA's or Final grades (magna cum laude, first class, distinction, etc...) on their degrees in their LinkedIn or on their resume?
[quote="deMaestro"]
What do you guys think about people putting their GPA's or Final grades (magna cum laude, first class, distinction, etc...) on their degrees in their LinkedIn or on their resume?
[/]
If you're in your first five years out of school I don't see why you wouldn't, if they're good. Outside of that, it's at your discretion. Nobody will look or care at some point. I personally have my GMAT on my profile while I'm in business school, but plan to take it off post graduation until and unless I recruit for firms that care about it.
If you do great work, people will recognize regardless your credentials or your school. Otherwise, keep the name that you have and make people notice - without the extra letters attached at the end.
There are two MBA personas. First you only know has done an MBA, because they tell you. Second do great work and don't tell everyone they meet about MBA
I mean I don't disagree - at all - and this was amusing. But the people I know who do this don't think they're in the M7 category, they're just likable people who drive Honda Odysseys.
This seems on par with picking on chubby girls or comparing shoes/watches with homeless people, or something.
Hey man, those chubby girls need loving too ya know
The only thing noteworthy about an MBA is the school it is from.
When used as a professional title, MBA stands for "May Be Asshole".
I have yet to see a solid argument made in defence of including MBA as a title...
Because there isn't one. Not every issue has two sides.
I honestly think it comes down to two types of people:
Those who feel like they've spent thousands of dollars on something and don't understand why they shouldn't be able to show it off, like a shiny new car, because they are special and everyone should know it (these mindset is highly correlated with people who probably won't accomplish much else in their life, so the MBA is a purchase that can help self-validate themselves - this explains why it's usually people who go to shitty programs who do this).
Those who kind of understand that it's a little jackassey, but honestly believe it will get them more attention from recruiters (it won't) and that the benefits outweight the cons (they don't).
It seems that most pushback is stemming from individuals placing the suffix MBA on their LinkedIn profiles. The reasoning is linked in is a job recruiting site and their algorithms are created to exploit key terms for people searching for specific qualifications. The people who are doing this are just adapting to the technical environment and maximizing their exposure to recruiters/headhunters.
People who are resisting or bemoaning a harmless trend are at a disadvantage. The old standard is disappearing and the MBA suffix trend is growing like it or not because sites like Linkedin are built to recognize and exploit profile keywords. An example of the mistake some are making is Eastman Kodak. Kodak failed because they abandoned their digital camera operation because of their arrogance and comfort with film photography. If Kodak had fully embraced the technology and the trends, Kodak would not be in bankruptcy!
Some jobs weed out applicants based on academic credentials plus experience. Therefore, listing your experience and MBA, BS, BA... etc can be a distinct advantage.
What about people who have IBD Analyst at the end of their name? I think it looks as bad as the "incoming" bs.
I've never seen someone have John Smith, IBD Analyst, but that sounds like an absolute tool move.
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