Proper term on business cards

If you had a MBA - how would you reference it on your business card?

e.g. John Doe, MBA

If you had a PhD in Business how would you reference it?

Dr. John Doe, MBA
John Doe, MBA, PhD
John Doe, PhD
Dr. John Doe

What's standardly accepted?

???

Thanks in advance. Hopefully I'll be in the position so it matters to be in the next few years!

 

Even if there is an academic protocol, I don't think there is a generally accepted standard. Use the version that (a) works best for you i.e. emphasizes strengths and (b) is right for your audience (e.g. that German Herr Professor Doktor stuff....).

 

My daughter-in-law has a PhD and uses the Jane Doe, PhD format.

 

I'd use either

John Doe, MBA, PhD

or

John Doe, PhD, MBA

with the one you want to emphasize placed last.


The format

Dr. John Doe, MBA

looks ghastly to me; that would be the very last choice!

Alex

 

I have never seen a master's referenced, but I have always liked the Dr. - after all that work - you deserve it!

 

In academics, I use both the MBA and the Ph.D. For the rest of my professional activities, I just use the Ph.D. For personal matters, I use neither.

Before I took my Ph.D., I almost never used my MBA in my signature block.

 

Does anything think there is a problem going with Dr. John Doe (on a business card) if you have a PhD in Business? Or have your secretary answer the phone Dr. Doe's office?

 

That is an intersting point that you didn't use the MBA until after the PhD.

 

I don't like the Dr. John Doe idea. My opinion is that it is appropriate to use in academic or research related activities, but to have a receptionist answer the business phone this way is a little oogy. I think it is appropriate to use John Doe, PhD on a business card and let others call you Dr if they feel so compelled. You could expect to be called doctor in an academic setting or as a show of respect when being introduced in certain venues.

The right has been earned, so to each his/her own.

 

I don't use any letters after my name. My business cards disclose my title and organization.

 

I guess as long as Dr Doe is not an osteopath he's OK.

Dr. John Doe, DO

Then again, there's his cousin from Louisiana, who keeps getting pestered to dance whenever he hands out his business card.

Dr. Faisal Doe, DO

Not to mention their second cousin from India, who bears an inexplicable grudge againt President Bush the First, and grouses about mispronunciation all the time.

Dr. Deepak Doe, DO

Let alone their uncle once removed, who used to be a flying doctor in the outback until he lost his license.

Dr. Geoff "Flightless" Doe, DO

 

I don't have any titles on my business card, but if I had a doctorate, I may put:

John Doe, PhD

I wouldn't put the MBA on, as I don't think an MBA is a big deal in the circles I consult in - in fact its often laughed at.

 

I have seen many people use the MBA title after their name on business cards. Also earning an MBA from an RA school is hard work and I don't think it is anything to be laughed about. It's and achievement that one should be very proud of.

In the past I have see people use the following titles after their name:

name, MBA, PhD
name, MA, MBA
name, MS, LLB
name, MA,

 

A cultural thing

To be quite honest I think all of this is a culture-related thing. My experience in SE Asia is that everything goes on the card! In the UK the usual thing, if listing all qualifications, is to start with the bachelor's and work up. So,

John Doe, BA
John Doe, BA, MSc or MBA
John Doe, BA, MBA, PhD or Dr John Doe, BA, MBA (in which case you drop the PhD after the name unless you have two doctorates!).

AJJ

 

You make a very good point. Just as the BA/BS has been watered down by being required for the most menial of positions, so it is becoming with the MA/MS in certain areas.

 

I've seen MBA listed on business cards where it's presumed to be relevant. For instance, I've seen people who work in the finance field do something like "John Doe, MBA, CFA , CFP".

Same with masters, "John Doe, MSc, CFP", and the like.

I think if your degree is irrelevant to your position, it's a bit contrived to list the degree, although I'm sure everyone has a different opinion about what's relevant and what's not.

 

I remember attending my science classes in a B&M school and they would list John Doe, PhD on their cards as they did not want to be mistaken for a doctor in the medical sense, which most scientists (at this school) detested.

 

In the United States, one lists his or her highest degree, period (John Doe, Ph.D.), and only when relevant. In the U.K., it is more customary to list all degrees and the institutions from which they were granted [John Doe. B.A. (Oxon), M.Phil. (Cantab)].

Most people in the U.S. do not list degrees below the doctorate on a business card, although there are exceptions for some professions (nursing and audiology come to mind, and sometimes counseling).

However, as a general rule, why bother? Remember the old expression, "If you've got it, flaunt it?" I've always fel that concept was bullshit - if you've got the real thing, you don't have to flaunt it. Thus, neither my business cards nor my letterhead contains my degree title unless there is a professional reason I need to do so (which is rare).

I agree with the writer who noted that it is more appropriate for persons to list the specific degree rather than the mere title Dr. It avoids confusion, not to mention the misrepresentation that is often the intent of someone who wishes to appear to have a "higher doctorate." As some of my work has been in the medical and legal environments over the years, I have always taken care to list, when necessary or appropriate, the specific "Ph.D." rather than the generic "Doctor." And on the very rare occasion that I have orally introduced myself as "Dr. Levicoff," I immediately follow it with,"Call me Steve."

Finally the use of both title and degree is a sure sign that someone may hold a degree mill doctorate. ("Dr. John Doe, Ph.D.") It just ain't done, campers, unless the dude has a phony doctorate or a very overly inflated ego.

Rember, campers, humility is a virtue. Even if you have a highly respected and regionally accredited Ph.D. Like me.

 

Ask Dr. Science - He knows more than you do.

I agree. Listing of any degree other than a doctorate (unless very relevant to the situation) is usually considered bad taste, and might say more about the person's insecurity/ego issues than anything else. It reminds me of the old Duck's Breath comedy troupe and their Dr. Science skit: "How does Dr. Science know the secrets of the universe? He has a Masters Degree...in Science!"

Even mentioning one's PhD in every possible situation is bad taste. I would imagine that most PhD's who are accomplished in their fields have long since put their education accomplishment in proper perspective. In most contexts in academia, the PhD is just a base-level requirement, and academics are surrounded by colleagues with PhD's, so it's not such a big deal anymore. They look to more pressing areas for their satisfaction - teaching, research, publications etc.

Those with bogus PhD's probably can't resist mentioning their degree status at every opportunity, since the only rational motivation for getting a fake degree would be the ego effect and for filling-in the indentation on the shoulder bone.

Even those with prestigious degrees are sometimes prone to the same behavior. For many years, I worked with a Stanford grad (BA). Within 5 minutes of meeting anyone for the first time, he somehow managed to slip in the fact that he was a Stanford grad. It was hilarious to witness.

 

The only time I've seen people list a ower degree with their doctorate is where the lower degree was an MBA, and therefore ancillary to their academic path eg

John Doe PhD (Physics), MBA

It kinda indicates both technical and business background, whereas if the MBA was the path to the PhD, it wouldn't be cool at all.