MANAGING BEST PRACTICES: Brand image for EHS professionals
Why? Letters are a short-hand way of marking your achievements. Academic letters such as the A.S., B.S., M.S., or Ph.D., or EHS/professional letters including PE, RS, OHST, CSP, CIH and the CHMM, improve your opportunity to obtain or retain a job and get better pay. Letters also enhance your standing in the EHS community, if that’s important to you.
In Oregon, for example, it’s illegal to add academic letters such as BS to your name on any business correspondence — resume, business cards, etc. — if the letters were obtained from a degree supplier, or a diploma mill, that is not authorized by the state. In one case, Oregon has allowed use of such letters provided a disclaimer such as “this degree is not valid in the state of Oregon†accompanies the letters on all business correspondence. But what does putting an asterisk and disclaimers to academic letters really say about a person?