business cards

[RabbieBurns]

I am now in a job where my employer would like to have me have business cards..

 

Having never had one before, what is the standard of putting letters after your name?

 

Do you just list your name and your position?

 

Do you list your degree?

 

Do you list your proffesional institutions as well?

 

I just went for my name and my position as I didnt really know... but for the next run, would be good to know..

[Fatmas]

Do you list your degree?

 

 

Unless you've got at least a Masters degree, don't do it. Joe Bloggs BSc makes you look like an idiot. Joe Bloggs MSc makes you look like a boss.

 

I only have a bachelors :-(

[RabbieBurns]

I got the (hons) part of my degree, but I guess I would like to get the masters.. I might see if I can one here without paying the astronomical foreign student fees...

[Admiral208]

agree with Fatmas.

 

I wouldn't bother with degree. my degree is in sports and leisure, nothing to do with my job now. Do you have any qualifications like MCITP? I would put those. Remember, it's not a CV, it a way for people to get in contact with you.

 

I would put phone number, email, contact info etc, maybe a photo????

[FN-GM]

I wouldnt bother at all to be honest. Just put the contact details.

[RabbieBurns]

we have a standard layout, the only thing that changes is the name, position, emaill, direct line, and mobile

 

I only went for name and position and the rest was auto done for me.. on my cards, as it never even entered my head to put anything else..

 

Its only speaking to teachers who have put the idea in my head..

 

The ironic thing is, that as they think I am the most qualified with degree, its the plebs from college that they actually send on the MS training..

 

so in a year or so, these kids will be more employable than me

Edited March 25, 2011 by RabbieBurns

[pantscat]

I find it depends on the industry - if you're in IT and a permanently employed I really wouldn't bother unless you've got something really worth advertising like a CCIE. If you're self employed it's a bit different and relevant industry qualifications could be useful - especially if you're a project manager it's worth putting any Prince2 or Agile stuff.

[GrumbleDook]

Only include Masters or above, honourifics (including fellowships) or awards (from civil or regal authorities such as MBE, etc), chartered status (unless your job demands you hold a chartered status) or membership of noted groups which are in lieu of fellowship or chartered status (eg MBCS) which might be beneficial in raising your status or helping others recognise your professional status.

 

I don't bother with anything yet ... but probably will, once I pull my finger out to sort out CITP.

[korifugi]

only put the letters there if you have the dual honors of having an OBE and an Earldom....

 

 

...then you can be an EarlOBE

[SYNACK]

Wow, must be different up there, I find that if you work in education the teachers like to add whatever quals they can onto their cards and so to be taken seriously you have to have the assorted letter scramble after your name.

 

I did not know that there was so much letter snobbery up there degrading all degree achivement to the point of a bad joke when referenced on a card.

[JPS]

I've always treated it similar to my email signature. I have a degree and sweated out 3 years for it. I think its important to include so others can see, especially in my case where I do a job that technically you dont have to be a graduate to do. What annoys me is when people use letters that are useless (member of such and such association/body etc) which shows no achievement, in some cases all it says is that you pay x amount a year to be a member! To sum up, I am a 'wear it with pride' kinda person. But each to their own.

[RabbieBurns]

Only include Masters or above, honourifics (including fellowships) or awards (from civil or regal authorities such as MBE, etc), chartered status (unless your job demands you hold a chartered status) or membership of noted groups which are in lieu of fellowship or chartered status (eg MBCS) which might be beneficial in raising your status or helping others recognise your professional status.

 

I don't bother with anything yet ... but probably will, once I pull my finger out to sort out CITP.

 

I have a MBCS, and now also an MACS, which I had to qualify for seperately, and also an MIET.

 

The ACS was the hardest to get.

 

How do I get an CITP?

[jamesb]

How do I get an CITP?

 

Talk to the BCS, have experience/qualifications. That's it really.

 

Personally I don't put any of my professional qualifications down as letters after my name. If I get irritated with someone trying to claim expertise in a subject via e-mail or similar, I'll drop them into my signature, and on business cards I tend to have a discreet mention of them under my job title, if they're relevant.

[RabbieBurns]

Talk to the BCS, have experience/qualifications. That's it really.

 

DOes it include an exam?

 

... and on business cards I tend to have a discreet mention of them under my job title, if they're relevant.

[jamesb]

DOes it include an exam?

 

There's the application, which requires you to have a certain level of responsibility and influence on IT stuff, then a test on your breadth of knowledge (general rather than specific technology) and finally you're expected to give a short presentation and go through an interview. Plus pay the registration fee (unless you're a BCS member) and application fee.

[GrumbleDook]

Wow, must be different up there, I find that if you work in education the teachers like to add whatever quals they can onto their cards and so to be taken seriously you have to have the assorted letter scramble after your name.

 

I did not know that there was so much letter snobbery up there degrading all degree achivement to the point of a bad joke when referenced on a card.

 

It is a case of what is practical, but there is a snobbery of some degrees. Is there any point in a teacher, when sharing details with another teacher, putting on PGCE? Until the influx of GTP then a lot of folk would have avoided it anyway due to some folk looking down their nose at BEd teachers. Those teachers I know who do include their degree tend to be folk who have come into teaching from outside of education and quickly drop it. I do know folk who have 2 cards ... one is their full-on, all single and dancing, sell yourself as a miracle-worker cards with details of degrees of separation from God ... and the other is a basic one but with details to their public LinkedIn account or academic page.

[webman]

I do know folk who have 2 cards ... one is their full-on, all single and dancing, sell yourself as a miracle-worker cards with details of degrees of separation from God ... and the other is a basic one but with details to their public LinkedIn account or academic page.

 

Are you one of those folk, GD?

[GrumbleDook]

Are you one of those folk, GD?

 

For those interested in CITP you can find more information at Certificate in IT for Insurance Professionals (CITIP) | Professionals | Qualifications, Training, Careers | BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT

 

Nah ... I only have the one card.

 

And for those who have not seen it ...

 

http://gallery.me.com/grumbledook/100201/GD_card/web.jpg

[pete]

Contracting:

 

Square barcode thing in the corner (that holds the below info)

My name

My contact details

On reverse: Brief outline of what I do/am willing to work on.

 

I wouldn't list any accomplishments on the card unless they're so out of the ordinary that I would gain something positive by listing them.

 

So PhD in relevant area? Maybe. Really tricky and hard-to-achieve peer-reviewed IT Certification? Definitely. Got personally ex-communicated by the Pope? Definitely

[GrumbleDook]

And for the person who just emailed ... not paid for by the council, but paid for by me ... partly to demonstrate the importance of an avatar and partly because I like being different.

 

I would highly recommend MOO Cards to people if they want their own cards.

[Sylv3r]

I only have my name, job title and school address and contact details on mine... probably becuase I don't have any fancy letters to go after my name!