CV - BSc letters or not?

I have MA (Cantab) after my name on my work business cards, because a lot of people I deal with are from Oxbridge so it provides an instant talking point (what college did you go to, what did you study etc) which comes in handy when courting clients, plus you can joke about the 'free MA' :p

It's alos useful as an icebreaker with other clients who ask what it means and I can be self-deprecating and say it's a cambridge degree with a freebie MA chucked in, which is daft but if you can't use it on a business card where can you..!

I don't use it in correspondence at all - as for CV, I wouldn't put it next to my name as my educational background is detailed on the CV anyway.
 
I graduated back in 2001, but I only added BSc (Hons) to my CV 'title' literally last week.

Pretentious? Maybe. But I'm not sure that is necessarily a bad thing when applying for some jobs. Apart from anything else it 'sets the scene' well and gets them thinking about my education history from the first line. It's not something I've done in the past due to wanting to avoid coming across as arrogant but while streamlining my CV and for the first time in my life managing to squeeze it onto 2 pages, it seemed like a good idea. I do have a couple of professional qualifications but I haven't put them up there as it would just look stupid.

Definitely wouldn't put letters after my name on a covering letter, although one line in the actual text might be used to highlight my strong academic background.
 
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I use my BA (Hons) on C.V's and some emails/letters. I am not pretentious, I just worked very hard for what I achieved and want to display the letters in which I have a complete legal right to do so.

And, once I complete my PGCE and Masters in forthcoming years those two will be added as well. I actually think people who hide the fact they have achieved a degree or higher are the narrow minded ones. I in fact question why, apart from not wanting to appear 'pretentious' or whatever are the underlying reasons behind being against using their post-nominal letters...is it because they sat there entire degree in their bedroom drinking and didn't really lift a finger? Or is there some deeper underlying issue I am not aware of.

You earned it, so use it.
 
Also having it after your name gives a quick indication that you have a degree which could be useful in the CV skimming process. Most people know that CV's for larger companies are only looked at in detail once they have been filtered by someone skimming over them quickly, spending less than a minutes looking at them. Yes it may well be detailed later on in an education section but you want to advertise it as it could easily be overlooked, having it on your name almost guarantees it will be seen.
 
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aardvark, are you a medical doctor or otherwise? It is accepted for MDs to use the Dr but I wouldnt expect every thesis writing doctorate to have dr. ass monger.

As for the working hard and showing something off, is that not being pretentious? I work hard at my job and I don't need to keep reminding the people around me that I work hard, but as Rich has stated in some circumstances it is useful.

I've seen some docorates of engineering use builder on their buisness card, as in some cases it just isn't needed.

KaHn

p.s. sorry von :p
 
I don't think it is pretensious, I think it is laughable.

You only ever put qualifications down if you're making a complaint (preteniousness is allowed), applying for a job in which your degree is realted/a degree is required (neccessary) or other similar things.

Not generally. I don't put any qualifications down on my CV with my name as they're covered in the education section.

I think anyone that has a Bachelors degree and thinks they're better than the average person is in for a rude awakening.

EDIT - as an aside, "Dr." is short for a PhD or Dphil, NOT a MD as everyone in this country and the US assume and use. Even the GMC issues (erroneously) the Dr. title. If anything, it should be "Doctor Smith Jones" without the abbreviation, but even this is wrong. Doctor translates as teacher, from the latin docere. Doctors are "physicians" and should be referred to as such. Indeed, in Germany, the title "Doktor" is only awarded after completing a PhD research thesis AFTER their medical degree (and getting "Arzt" accreditation). It is one of the things that really gets on my nerves.
 
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aardvark, are you a medical doctor or otherwise? It is accepted for MDs to use the Dr but I wouldnt expect every thesis writing doctorate to have dr. ass monger.

not a medical doctor no, but then medical doctors don't get PhD's so they therefore are technically not doctors. If i have a doctorate that makes me a doctor so i have to put Dr in front of my name instead of Mr its the LAW (maybe).
So next time you meet someone with a PhD remember to call them Dr ass monger rather than Mr ass monger and i'm sure they will appreciate it. ;)
 
That makes no sense whatsoever. What does engineering research have to do with construction work?

None but instead of saying "I am a doctorate of structural engineering" he just said im a builder as he builds things.

Bit silly but I found it funny.

KaHn
 
medical doctors <..?..> are technically not doctors.
Gotta really read how your sentences end out :p


If i have a doctorate that makes me a doctor so i have to put Dr in front of my name instead of Mr its the LAW (maybe).

It's as much the law for you to use Dr <your name> as it is against the law for me to use Dr <my name>. You're saying you're breaking the law if you refer to yourself as Mr instead of Dr? If that was the case I'd never want to be a Dr in case I slip up some day and forget :eek:
 
And why would that be? Or vice vera?

when my wife had to see a ENT in Bupa hospital, he was a Mr and was very upset at me calling him a Dr.

(Male) surgeons are always addressed as Mr in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
The tradition arose before 1800 when physicians were by definition doctors who possessed a university medical degree (an MD); surgeons seldom had any formal qualifications
The growth of voluntary hospitals in the 18th century brought high status to surgeons
After the founding of the Royal College of Surgeons of London in 1800, surgeons had a formal qualification (the MRCS)
Surgeons became so proud to be distinguished from physicians that the title of Mr became a badge of honour
 
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