When putting credentials after your name on your resume works (and when it makes you look like a jerk) - Kyla Duffy (2024)

FAQs

Should you put your credentials after your name on a resume? ›

A master's degree or bachelor's degree should never be included after your name. It does not rise to the level of a doctorate degree and is not appropriate on that top line. If you are applying for a position that requires a master's degree (An MBA or MFA for example), you can include that in the résumé summary.

List the highest education degree first, for example, Michael Anderson, PhD, MSN. In most cases, one degree is enough, but if your second degree is in another relevant field, you may choose to list it. For example, a nurse executive might choose Nancy Gordon, MBA, MSN, RN.

Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, an academic degree, accreditation, an office, a military decoration, or honour, or is a member of a ...

If you have a degree, start by listing the highest degree you've earned immediately after your name, such as a master's degree, bachelor's degree or associate degree. If you have multiple degrees, you may choose to list only the highest degree you have earned since this often eclipses previous degrees.

It is common practice to add professional designations such as "MBA" to highlight your expertise and differentiate yourself among professionals.

The Oxford University Style Guide states that degrees need to be denoted in the order, degrees; diplomas; certificates with degrees listed in bachelors'; masters'; doctoral or higher degrees.

First, congratulations on completing your degree. You have worked hard and deserve to be proud of your accomplishment. With that said, one does not generally put bachelor's degree initials after a name.

Academic majors, unless a proper noun, should not capitalized (e.g., John has a bachelor of economics degree, or John has a bachelor's degree in French literature.). When used after a name, an academic abbreviation is set off by commas (e.g., Mary Doe, Ph. D., spoke.).

Employers typically verify education by contacting the educational institutions listed on a candidate's resume or application. They may request transcripts, a diploma, or a degree certificate directly from the institution. Some employers use third-party verification services to streamline this process.

As you move through your career, the rule of thumb is to include only the most recent 10 to 15 years of job experience. This article will guide you through exactly how far back your resume should reach.

How should your name appear on a resume? ›

Full Name. Include your first and last name on your resume. If you have a very common name – think “James Smith” or “Maria Garcia” – consider including your middle name or middle initial to help distinguish you from the other 30,000+ professionals who share your full name.

Spelling out and abbreviating academic degrees

Lowercase the name of the academic program (e.g. Bachelor of Arts in psychology) Spell, space and abbreviate like this: Bachelor of Arts / B.A. Bachelor of Music / B.M. Bachelor of Science / B.S.

This means that if you are a clinical practice nurse, you would have an RN BSN signature. And, if you're a nurse educator (or on your way to becoming one), you would use a BSN RN signature. Please note that there is a comma between BSN and RN / RN and BSN, licensure, and certifications.