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The Power Of Post-Nominals

Laurence Clair on November 28, 2023

The ultimate statement of education and professional standing are Post Nominals, also known as letters after your name. Displayed on your CV, business card, email signature or professional social media, post nominals neatly signal your educational qualifications, honours, membership / grade of professional body and more. ​

Take my name for example. On its own, it doesn’t tell you anything about me. However, if I add educational qualifications and memberships to professional bodies, it reads “Jessica Saunders BSc (Hons), MSc (Hons), MBPsS, FInstL, FInstCPD”.

This tells you that I have a science graduate degree (BSc), a science master's degree (MSc). In addition, it also tells you that I am a member of the British Psychological Society, and also, a Fellow of the Leaders Institute and the CPD Institute.

In a business context, this gives a public statement of my achievements, and communicates to people (that I may not have met) that I have invested and achieved both academically and professionally. It also provides an insight into my occupation and my commitment to CPD.

By far, the most popular post nominals in use today are those issued by professional bodies and regulators. With over 2500 institutes in the UK, achieving a professional licence, certification or membership grade comes with the ability to publicly state your professional standing.

As a member of the CPD Institute, you are able to add Post Nominals to your name and title, to publicly demonstrate your CPD and lifelong learning achievements. In a post-pandemic, Brexit world, this has never been more critical. Employers and colleagues want to be able to source talent easily, and Post Nominals are a passport to advertising your creedence.

Are Post Nominals in Fashion?

As the number of people completing university studies has grown, so has an indifference to advertising your educational post nominals. In certain industries, it is almost seen as pretentious to state your achievements academically. However, it is important to make clear that this trend only extends to educational qualifications.

Post nominals that indicate your professional standing have a completely different standing. It is widely accepted that your CV, resume or biography is more impressive to employers and peers if your name has post nominals.

They are an immediate signpost that you have invested time and energy to develop your professional status and are serious about your career ambitions.

Professional bodies and institutes are quite stringent on the number of individuals they offer post nominals, and the size of the community that ‘wears their badge’. Hence being part of a professional body, such as the CPD Institute, shows that you are one of the select few who have been publicly awarded to display this professional status.

The Power is in Your Hands

The awarding of post nominals is a proud proactive statement of your professional achievements. In a noisy digital world, your CV or social media bio is immediately strengthened by those crucial letters after your name.

Successful applications and membership with the Institute of CPD awards post nominals. Our ongoing research demonstrates that there is a direct link between post nominals and your employability opportunities. In essence, you are more likely to be promoted, or successfully apply for a new role, if you are actively using letters after your name.

Find out more about how you can apply for the membership of the CPD Institute and achieve post nominals of FInstCPD for Fellow level, MInstCPD for Member level and AInstCPD for Achiever level.

Quick Win: How Businesses Can Benefit From A Fresh Approach To CPD

Laurence Clair on November 28, 2023

• Skill sets for jobs have changed by around 25% since 2015. By 2027, this number is expected to double, says LinkedIn

• Two-thirds of workers say it is likely they will leave their employer because there are not enough opportunities for skills development, according to Workplace Intelligence

• 70% of UK employees would be happier in their current role if they had more opportunities for personal development, according to GoodHabitz

When you hear the term ‘CPD’, what comes to mind? For some, it is a tick-box activity that must be squeezed in around day-to-day tasks. For others, it is part of a healthy learning and development strategy – something which, according to recent reports, is now more important than ever.

From employee retention to customer satisfaction to business resilience in the face of change, a solid learning and development strategy can have far-reaching positive effects. In this article, we explore why such a strategy should be a priority right now, and we look at a quick-win action that businesses can take today.

Keep up with change by increasing business agility

“Tackling tough problems requires new and better skills, and learning is the way through.”

LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2023

In today’s uncertain climate, organisations face upheaval and challenges on numerous fronts. Whether due to global events, political agendas at home or the constantly shifting technology landscape, there is plenty to occupy the minds of business leaders.

Time and again, experts offer the same advice: to weather today’s tough environment, businesses must have the right skills in place. Sometimes, of course, it is not possible to predict what those skills will need to be. So, organisations must be agile – able to move quickly as they respond to new situations. Both LinkedIn and Udemy highlight ‘agility’ as a core focus in their 2023 workplace learning reports, and for good reason. With businesses facing so many pressures in today’s fast-paced world, the ability to adapt in a timely manner is vital.

What does ‘getting the right skills in place’ look like in practice? It means prioritising learning and development. LinkedIn’s report recognises that ‘large upskilling and training programs take time’, but that organisations can move quickly by inspiring ‘more skill building at the individual level’. Most immediately, for example, this might mean more support for existing CPD activities. These are activities already being undertaken, within a structure that is already in place. Some extra recognition of their importance might be all that is needed – perhaps by ring-fencing time within company calendars, providing extra funding for courses or leading by example at the very highest levels. Over time, these small but significant actions will help to shape the company’s wider culture.

Stay relevant for staff by creating a culture of learning

‘A varied learning and development package can help to retain employees by improving engagement and making them feel valued.’

Dr Sarah Pass, Senior Lecturer in HRM at Nottingham Business School

Employee retention is a concern for many UK businesses currently. According to the CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook report, ‘vacant jobs are plentiful but available workers are scarce’. Hard-to-fill vacancies are a particular issue, says the report. Meanwhile, it appears that even pay rises are not enough incentive for some workers in the current climate. Jonathan Boys, senior labour market economist at the CIPD, recently summed up this issue: ‘Regular pay growth of 6.7 per cent would normally be a welcome sight for workers, but in the face of inflation running at 10.5 per cent, this increase won’t stop living standards from falling for most working people.’ What is the answer? Boys suggest that employers must consider the ‘whole package’.

Research from learning technology company Docebo, published at the end of last year, reveals the importance of learning and development as part of this ‘package’ for employee retention. Nearly two thirds of respondents said they would consider quitting their job within twelve months if learning opportunities to help with career development were cut or not offered at all. Meanwhile, when it came to job hunting, 8 out of 10 reported that they would be more likely to choose an employer who prioritised continuous learning and development.

The answer to employee retention and engagement, of course, goes beyond sending teams on training courses. For maximum impact, Udemy and LinkedIn both advocate making learning and development a core part of an organisation’s culture.

Creating a culture of learning is about championing learning at every level, both internally and externally. It is about embedding a mindset and philosophy within a company at its core. This may be a long-term project. However, businesses can get ahead in the meantime by making more of the learning – the formal and informal CPD – that employees are already doing.

Take action with this quick win

“Business leaders who embrace learning for everyone are creating an environment where their employees are resilient, prepared, and ready to drive business impact, regardless of the challenges they face.”

Udemy Workplace Learning Trends Report 2023

By reframing and embracing CPD as crucial to employee satisfaction and business impact, an organisation can build on existing foundations. This is a ready-made opportunity to upskill and ensure agility and resilience within the workforce.

One quick way to signal to employees, and to the wider world, that continuous learning is a priority for your business is through the Institute of Continuing Professional Development (iCPD).

For over twenty-five years, the Institute has stood for a philosophy of going ‘over and above’ with learning and development. Through corporate membership, businesses can outwardly show their commitment to learning. Employees, customers and the wider public will visibly see the company’s dedication, and – ultimately – can enjoy the reassurance that this brings.

Find out more

{Sources}

Workplace Intelligence in partnership with Amazon, Upskilling Study

https://workplaceintelligence.com/upskilling-study

CIPD, Labour Market Outlook: Winter 22/23

https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/work/trends/labour-market-outlook

Jonathan Boys quotes

https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1813289/pay-struggles-match-inflation-data-reveals-l-d-key-attracting-talent

Docebo, employee workplace learning research

https://www.docebo.com/learning-network/blog/employee-workplace-learning-research/

Goodhabitz, ‘The current state of Personal Development at Work’

https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/inspiration/downloads/the-current-state-of-personal-development-at-work/

Dr Sarah Pass quote

https://www.thehrworld.co.uk/learning-development-engagement/

LinkedIn, Workplace Learning Report 2023

https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/learning/en-us/pdfs/workplace-learning-report/LinkedIn-Learning_Workplace-Learning-Report-2023-EN.pdf

Udemy, Workplace Learning Trends Report

https://business.udemy.com/2023-workplace-learning-trends-report/

Think Like Einstein ​

Laurence Clair on November 15, 2023

Recommended Sources of Verified CPD Activities:

Continuing Professional Development shouldn’t be a chore – but to many it is. Spending time training to brush up on your skills, when you have a job to do, can be stressful and tiresome.

It’s easy to lose your passion for learning.

Albert Einstein was a great Physicist and Nobel Laureate. He had a way with words that would make you look from a different perspective. Here’s some words from the wise:


“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects”
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted”
“Learning is not a product of schooling but the lifelong attempt to acquire it"

“Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of minds to think”

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”

Think like Einstein; what does your Professional Development mean to you?.

Find out more about how you can apply for the membership of the CPD Institute and achieve post nominals of FInstCPD for Fellow level, MInst CPD for Member level and AInstCPD for Achiever level.

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October 10, 2024 No Comments

Soft Skills For Doctors

Laurence Clair on November 15, 2023

The UK government and NHS Employers aim is to modernise the junior doctors working pay system, deliver better education and training services and improve safety standards.

It’s easy to lose your passion for learning.

Better Training and Education

Sir David Dalton, Chief Executive, NHS Employers highlighted the need for better training and proper notice of rotational deployment but this issue was not covered in the press.

Instead, junior doctors have been stigmatised by the media for striking about the amount of little pay they will receive in the new contract (a hashtag ‘#moetmedics’ started trending on twitter, insinuating they lead extravagant lifestyles anyway).

In fact, what makes their job worth more pay is the quality and the commitment to their patients and the NHS health care service.

In order for them to maintain a high quality service, the government and NHS Employers have worked with Higher Education England to align education and training to the national curriculum.

Stressed doctors

Junior doctors are reporting high stressed levels because they work incoherent schedules and yo-yo rotas. Before they know it, there are not enough hours in the week to complete their mandatory CPD training.​

Sir Dalton says: “Existing contractual arrangements scarcely reference training - instead focusing on the service contribution that trainee doctors make. Issues include how training opportunities can be missed because of work pressures, the inflexibility around leave and the insufficient notice of training placements which make it difficult for doctors to plan their lives, and the lack of consultant presence at weekends which may contribute to a poorer training experience.”

The BMA confirm that junior doctors feel unable to plan their training effectively so that they can have an enjoyable lifestyle. This reflects badly on how training is structured by NHS Employers.

Current junior doctor CPD requirements

The General Medical Council stipulates junior doctors are responsible for their own CPD and must provide evidence at their annual appraisal to remain fit to practice. Also, the 24 Royal Medical Colleges communicate CPD schemes to doctors so they can maintain professional standards in their speciality.

For example, The Royal College of Surgeons requires its members to complete 50 hours of CPD annually.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is defined as the intentional maintenance and development of the knowledge and skills needed to perform in a professional context. CPD is the process of improving current skills through methods such as online e:learning modules, mentoring or instructor led courses.

In order to make training effective, in their 15 years of training before they move to specialised areas of medicine, CPD training must be structured. This means setting goals, objectives and evaluating skills development to align with the job requirements or prepare for potential promotion.

The reason for the government imposing the new contract without room for further negotiation is because junior doctors are kept to a strict timeline of rotation.

CPD Opportunity for the NHS

The NHS Employers training for junior doctors is currently under scrutiny and there is an opportunity for them to invest in trainers that deliver accredited CPD courses in soft skills.

Yvonne Bignall, Partner, International Medical Training Company says: “The barrier to entry into the NHS is that there are so many push backs for external service providers and its in-house medical training system is impossible to get business or open a dialogue with.”

“At times, junior doctors have to lead teams, but as newly qualified graduates, whilst they may have medical intelligence they do not all have the self-confidence or experience in leadership skills for busy teams working under pressure.”

Bignall points out that: “These skills are not just a ‘nice to have’, they are ‘need to have'. No one wants to have a doctor that is brash because they are stressed or one that does not engage with their feelings through good listening.”

Speaking from a personal angle, Bignall’s says: “We have a family member who is a newly qualified junior doctor and said she does not receive training that could help her professionally.”

In Yvonne’s family’s case, she would benefit from setting her own CPD objectives to fulfil her medical career goals. The demands she will face as a junior doctor, to lead a team during A&E for example could be daunting unless she prepares herself professionally for them.

The NHS Employers should work with junior doctors to structure CPD learning to develop their professional skills. By strategically aligning the individual objectives with business ones, the NHS would benefit as an organisation.

NHS medical training and education schemes should better align CPD courses such as the ones below:

• Leadership and Management

• Professional Communication

• Team work and Communication

• Emotional Intelligence

• Personal Effectiveness

• Listening

• Time Management

• Dealing with criticism

CPD requirements are mandatory for junior doctors to remain legally qualified and it is important that their modules help them develop effectively and professionally.

As the debate between the BMA, the government and NHS Employers continues over junior doctor contracts, training providers have a great opportunity to promote better learning practices for the medical sector.

Find out more about how you can apply for the membership of the CPD Institute and achieve post nominals of FInstCPD for Fellow level, MInst CPD for Member level and AInstCPD for Achiever level.

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contact Us

  • The Old Station, Moor Ln, Staines TW18 4BB
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  • hello@cpdinstitute.org

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Saturday – Sunday:
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will get back to you ASAP.
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