"Letters after your name". . .Question for HR Professionals

[Anonymous]

I was taught terminal degrees (JD, MPH, MD, PhD, etc) and certs (CIH, PE, PG, etc) related to my position are placed in order of when they were conferred. So your highest (terminal) degree, then your certs in order you gained them. Do I place my MPH and certification at the end of my email signature? No, but that's personal preference. It's on my linkedin and my business cards. I don't judge others that do simply because it's their choice. Your environment may drive the need or removal...I'm surrounded by a bunch of idiots who regard it as pretentious, but my choice was made long before this position.

Those that list their bachelor's or ridiculous certs like A+ or even ABD are probably not aware it's frowned upon. I would recommend using it if you're comfortable. You earned it so why not display it?

[Anonymous]

Well -- the correspondence from HRCI notifying you of your pass rate states that you should immediately add it to your signature line, email, and business card. So do it! Will I add it on my social media? Nope! I also hold a JD, but since I am now working in HR, I would probably only list it on my resume and LinkedIn....but your current profession...yep! You earned it, you're living it! Use it! (And Congrats!!!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My card/email sig line (work) is:

Larlo Larlowsky, Ph.D.

PP here. I used to do it in comic sans to annoy millennials.

And we non-millennials love you for that. If you stopped, then please re-start!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My card/email sig line (work) is:

Larlo Larlowsky, Ph.D.

PP here. I used to do it in comic sans to annoy millennials.

And we non-millennials love you for that. If you stopped, then please re-start!

Unfortunately, corporate had a specific font required. So no comic sans for me.

[Anonymous]

It has been interesting reading all the responses.

I am not in HR. If I received an email from two people in HR, one who used the SPHR (or GPHR) and one who didn't, I would view the one who did more highly than the one who didn't, all things being equal. The credential would mean to me that the person using the credential had taken the time and made the effort to meet certain high standards in their industry. There is a time and place relevance to including your certification or licensure credentials on an email signature.

So I say that you should proudly use your SPHR credential on your email, OP! And btw congratulations on your achievement!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not an HR professional so forgive me for butting in, but personally I find it annoying and tiring when people list their degrees after their name in email signature lines. I have two advance degrees and save listing them on my resume. I'm an attorney. My business card says so but I don't list "JD" or other degrees after my name. I have definitely noticed that only the most insecure and/or annoying people add this or "esquire" or such to their email signatures.

Ditto.

Another ditto (with a JD and a PhD)

+1 with an MBA

[Anonymous]

I think you should go by the custom of your field. Personally, I think all the letters after a name are a little much. But no one in an HR department works with me, so why should my opinion really matter?

I also don’t get all these lawyers saying there’s some sort of rule that you do include stuff relevant to your job duties and leave out the rest. Anyone who reads this board sees lawyers complaining about how many doors close if you did not go to Harvard and I don’t think any lawyer includes Harvard in their email sig block

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what SPHR stands for. But, if this information is useful and necessary for the people that you interact with professionally then you should use it. I am assuming that you never listed your Master's degrees because that information is not that helpful since it is conveyed as a given of your job title. If SPHR stands for some kind of special certification that it would be helpful to know you have within this field then use it.

For example, if I am looking for a therapist, I care that the person is a LCSW because it impacts whether or not the person takes insurance, so this is useful information.

I agree that if you are listing your SPHR, go ahead and list your Master's degrees in this context.

There will be people who come on here and tell you not to list anything because it is "obnoxious" and that would be true if you were talking about giving this information out at a playground or a church supper. But, for professional interactions where people understand what the letters convey in terms of liscensing, then you should use them.

SPHR is a Senior

[Anonymous]

I believe that you can mention this certificate at the end of your signature, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. The SPHR is pretty important in HR. (Only 48% of people who sat for the exam passed it last year.) It would definitely be recognized by people in the field.

I never listed by masters degrees because, well, I don't really know why.

I would definitely include it. I'm not in HR but even I recognize the certification. It is a big deal and you should include it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not an HR professional so forgive me for butting in, but personally I find it annoying and tiring when people list their degrees after their name in email signature lines. I have two advance degrees and save listing them on my resume. I'm an attorney. My business card says so but I don't list "JD" or other degrees after my name. I have definitely noticed that only the most insecure and/or annoying people add this or "esquire" or such to their email signatures.

Ditto.

Another ditto (with a JD and a PhD)

I feel like patent attorneys are one of the areas where listing all is standard because the PhD (or MD) is relevant and a somewhat unique qualification and it’s odd to list that degree but not the JD. listing the JD also makes it clear that you are a lawyer and not a registered agent. For most JDs, listing the degree isn’t normal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently earned my SPHR, and have been advised to list this after my name on my email signature and business card.

I also hold a M.S. and a M.Ed. I have never listed those, but should I? Does it seem obnoxious? It would be,

Jane Doe, SPHR, M.S., M.Ed

Thanks for any feedback or opinions.

I’m the head of HR for a public company. I don’t see why anyone would list it on a email. Your signature should include your title, that is all the other employees need to know and respond accordingly. What does SPHR mean to an employee in finance or marketing that you are communicating with.

On your resume list everything 😀

[Anonymous]

Low confidence people list all the degrees after their name - in e-mails, business cards, etc.

Ever notice that not a single CEO lists such crap after their name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a U.S. government agency renowned for having some of the smartest and best credentialed people in all of government.

Guess who puts the initials after their name in emails?

Here's a hint: it's not the JDs, PhDs, or MSs from Ivy League schools doing all the heavy lifting policy work, testifying in front of Congress, or traveling the world to present their research or negotiate on behalf of the U.S. government.

It's all the folks in HR and admins with a zillion acronyms.

Ha. Totally believe it.

Because they don't feel respected otherwise, I am guessing.

[Anonymous]

In my field, the degree is relevant. I sign my emails “Jane” and then have an email sig below that says Jane Doe, MS.

But, I only use the signature on maybe 5% of emails.