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.