Using post nominal letters on emails?

I-W

What is the consensus for using post nominal letters on emails and which should you use? Does it look pretentious or demonstrate your professional level?
Do you just pick your highest achievement (for example chartered status) or do you also list academic qualifications (if so just your highest level?)?
What about including professional body memberships?


Where I work approximately 50% of people included post nominal letters. Of those that do some only degrees, including just BEng (Hons) (is it possible to get a BEng without honours?), others only use professional chartered status (which normally would require a masters to achieve), some only us professional body memberships (some of which only involve sending a cheque in every year and other which require assessment to join), and of course there a few who include a long chain of letters.


I currently use none of mine, but am considering doing so (hence the post) following a few condescending emails from 'less qualified' people I don't know within my company.

Brynsam

How about asking your manager or some other senior person in your company? The 'house style' is more important than what anyone here thinks.

You can get a BEng without honours if you only get a poor (ordinary) degree.

MovingForwards

I never used to, some of my colleagues did; I found it to be too pretentious. Job title was enough for me.

It's down to personal preference unless it's a mandatory requirement of your employer.

Pension_Geek

I use mine, as the company I work for encourages it.

Soot2006

We have a company visual identity. The email signature requests the use of all titles, etc. Can get a bit odd for some!

agrinnall

I'd never use any of the post-nominal letters that I have, and it wouldn't impress me if anyone else did (I can't recall ever seeing it, even though I work in academia). I would use Doctor or Professor in some circumstances but as I'm unlikely to ever be either I doubt if it's something I'll need to worry about.

YBR

I currently have my highest Degree (MEng), My chartered engineer (CEng) and the most relevant professional membership (MIRSE). This later involved passing exam papers and so is respected.

As a woman it may reduce the number of times I'm treated as clerical support rather than an Engineering Manager, and expert in my field, without having to embarrass people by saying so.

jonnygee2

For business emails putting BA(hons) after your name is rally not a good look. Neither is MA (or even worse MA Oxon). There's no need to encode your CV on the bottom of every email!

Putting any completely invented 'certification' in your name, like the CSM I saw recently (it means 'certified scrum master', which is attained by taking a short multiple choice test!) is frankly going to make you a laughing stock.

Relevant, and respected, professional bodies, are the only letters I would add. If you are MRICS and working in real estate then yes, add that. It shows you are currently chartered and regulated.

BookmobileBadGirl

One place I worked insisted on all post nominals in the signature, it felt a bit naff

Another place just asked for your most relevant qualification

My current place has no in-house style, and has some people including every certificate they have ever got. I have gone for none at the moment

Owain_Moneysaver

I suppose I could put R.S.A.

They did give me a typewriting certificate.

Mrs_Ryan

My full postnominals are very long (and will be even longer when I finish this dam degree ) I’ve used them once or twice but I’m damn proud of them and although I wouldn’t use them when not appropriate I’m quick to use them when it is!! (I will admit to using them once in an email to my ex manager when I was sick of her patronising me and talking to me like I was stupid- I’m not proud of the fact I rubbed in her face that I am far more qualified than her but she was not a nice person)