Listing Your Degrees in Signature Files?
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Signature files are used in business emails to be a quick identifier and to include basic contact information in every email. I’ve seen some informative and interesting sig files, but how much is too much?
A BusinessEmailEtiquette.com site visitor asks…
Is it customary to put your college degree in your signature block? For example, John Doe, MBA…or something to that effect?
You can do that — of course, only if you really have earned an MBA. I mention this because, over the years, I’ve busted folks with phony credentials!
What is Proper in a Signature File?
Now, that is probably the better question to ask. Signature files quickly identify who you are, some contact info, and a quick link to your website. In some cases, your credentials.
Listing credentials makes sense when those specific credentials are pertinent to the conversation. For example, first-time contacts in which credentials can be important to perceptions of credibility.
But I’m not sure where listing degrees is a benefit. If I were to have an EE engineering degree, listing that in all my emails wouldn’t make sense, as I currently help folks with their websites and online success
While an engineering degree may have been applicable in my previous life, it isn’t presently. So I would look like I was showing off, being a smartypants, or bragadocious.
Let’s suppose you have tons of credentials (alphabet soup) that you can list in your signature file; that doesn’t mean you should. Instead, if it really makes sense to do so, list only the primary, most applicable degree and point to your website for more information about you, your education, and your accomplishments.
This approach helps you to avoid being perceived as egotistical.
After the Initial Intro, Drop the Degrees
Once communications are ongoing and less formal, you can remove all that alphabet soup entirely from your sig file. Moving to a more relaxed tone, of course, guided by how your contacts respond, is a great way to be more approachable and humanize your email communications.
Remember, you can have as many sig files as you desire with different levels of formality and information. No need to note that you have a degree in every email you send, once folks know (and probably don’t care).
Instead, establish a collection of signature files based on the type of person or market you are communicating with at that particular time. Check out my article on the Dos and Don’ts of Signature File Use for more tips!
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