[Anonymous]

So, here is my debate. Why people are so stubborn to not understand the difference between designation vs. a degree… People are so confused putting MBA after their name (which is incorrect since this is NOT a designation) and that bothers me because we are working hard to be recognized for this designation (CPA) and thus we actually deserve to use it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying MBA is not an accomplishment (it is), I am just saying that this should not be included after your name because it looks silly… I also hate the fact that in the corporation I work for, they hired a new senior accountant (with an MBA) and he puts it in the email signature (I guess he wants to feel special)… Also I would look silly if, for instance, put MAcc after my name (because I do have Master in Accounting)…

I founnd the following article interesting: https://watchyourwallet.blogspot.com/2008/06/should-i-put-mba-in-my-title-on-my.html

---

FAR: PASSED

AUD: PASSED

REG: PASSED

BEC: PASSED

EXPERIENCE: Done

* My CPA journey took 1 year and 2 months but it felt like an eternity

** Applied for the license on 06/17/14

[fuzyfro89]

Lol, I too think a MBA looks a bit silly, but hey, we are all free to express ourselves however we see fit.

I read in the linked article/blog post that there seems to be a correlation between low-ranked MBA recipients and those who list MBA next to their name… I agree with this. Of course, I don't have any data to support this, and there may be a lot of confirmation bias in me noticing the low-ranked-MBAs who list it, as well as the fact that the pure number of low-ranked-MBAs are obviously a lot higher than high-ranked-MBAs…

But, anyway, if it were me as a hiring manager, and I saw some non-top 50 MBA, I wouldn't be impressed. I think it belongs on a resume, not next to your name, but hey, that's just my opinion.

If a guy from Harvard decided to put MBA next to his name, and worked at Mckinsey and wanted a job at my company, I wouldn't really care that he made such a faux pas… (just to give an example of the opposite)

[Partially Deaf]

As an MBA candidate, I will only put it on my resume and on linkedin.

MBA Candidate - UCLA Anderson School of Management

REG 89 - 4/9/2012
BEC 88 - 5/29/2012
AUD 93 - 8/20/2012
FAR 83 - 2/4/2013
-All passed on the first attempt!

CFA Level 1 - Passed on first attempt in June 2014

[Mamabear]

I don't put MBA after my name, but I don't care if anyone else does. And no offense to anyone here, but I put forth the same amount of effort for my MBA as I have done with the CPA. The main reason the CPA seems so much worse is because I now have a full time job and 3 kids while trying to study, but the work load, the stress, the anxiety, the tears, the fear of failure–is all the same. There is a lot of pressure to be at the top in an MBA program and then to have someone say that because it wasn't from Harvard it doesn't mean anything is just uncalled for.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[Anonymous]

I'm enrolling in an MBA program only if its T25. The benefit exceeds the cost at that point.

[mla1169]

When my business cards were ordered for my current job, I asked that they say name, CPA. The girl actually argued with me and said her card doesn't say name, Office Manager. I just shook my head….

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[jeff]

Interesting article:

https://www.aomonline.org/Publications/Articles/BSchools.asp

[How many letters do you need]

It's an interesting article Jeff. With all due respect, whether it actually leads to success or not doesn't much matter. Perception is reality and the perception is still very much there. It is listed as a preferred for almost every job posting I see….

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Anonymous]

@letters Just curious, what kinds of job postings are you looking up?

[fuzyfro89]

@how many letters:

You do realize that “preferred” is just a wish list, right? Unless you're talking about a Investment Banking summer analyst or Summer Associate position at a consulting firm (who exclusively hire MBA interns), it's not required.

Most employers have certain programs where they recruit exclusively from MBA programs, but the remainder are typically DOE (depending on experience).

I will say that not all MBAs are created equally. At the risk of offending others on the forum, I'll leave it at that.

[John Tucker]

Jeff,

Great article, also you guys should check out the book “The MBA Bubble” by Mariana Zanetti (www.thembabubble.com).

I don't want to get into the overall “quality” of the MBA program in general, but guys understand it's nothing but a continuation of the very BROAD Business Management undergraduate degree, with a specialization attached to it like Supply Chain, or Strategic Planning, or IT, etc. The MBA for the most part, is just as broad as the liberal arts degree if you really want to be honest about it.

The real value of the MBA was when it was used by the top ranked schools as a way of politics to filter out candidates that were “allowed” to work in the large financial corporations. It's still very much used the same way amongst the top ranked schools, it's a political posturing situation where they only hire people from the top ranked schools into the large financial corporations. You are usually hired right out of the MBA program, through a recruitment process.

If you AREN'T seeking to work in the large financial corporations, but are going to be somewhere in a mid-sized corporation, a non-profit, a small business, or a start-up, as long as your MBA is regionally accredited from a respected local college then it's okay because in this aspect it's only used to “check off the box”.

This is why, as I stress, Career Planning is needed. If you aren't seeking to get into a large financial corporation, there's absolutely no reason to do a top ranked MBA for $150,000. If you are going into the small-medium sized business structure, just get a regionally accredited MBA from a respected local college for anywhere from $15,000 – $40,000 in total costs for the entire program out the door.

If you are seeking to get into a large financial corporation through the MBA program, have a Plan B if you don't get recruited.

* State of MA CPA Exam Candidate
- BEC: Sunday, August 24th
- FAR: Saturday, November 29th
- AUD: TBA for February 2015
- REG: TBA for May 2015

[Mamabear]

Regardless of whether you have a CPA or an MBA you still have to put the work in to get experience. The work experience requirement to sit for the CPA exam is not enough to gain you the experience you truly need to excel in accounting. If either degree/certification were that significant than everyone with an MBA would start out being CEO's and everyone with a CPA would start out being CFO's or Partners in an accounting firm. It just doesn't happen. Both processes are a means to an end. You have to put in the work, prove you can study for the degree or for the CPA exam, pass, get experience and move up. They both help get your foot in the door if you're looking in the relevant fields/positions. The elitist attitude of CPAs and MBAs against one another is ridiculous and petty. I actually had a CPA (prior to me going for my CPA) tell me that MBAs are a dime a dozen and don't mean anything. And my opinion is that saying something like that (and other comments on this thread) knowing that the person you are talking to and some of the people reading have MBAs serves no purpose except to make you feel better about your own accomplishments. There are other ways to gain self esteem than to diminish the accomplishments of others.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[jaredo155]

In regards to the OP, I feel as though the decision to put any credential after your name should be based on two factors. 1) do you feel that what you learned in the process enhances your ability to perform as a professional and 2) does it distinguish you in your field among your peers and your clients/customers. If either of those points is the case then I say absolutely put it after your name, if neither of those is true then you still can but you are probably going to look a little silly. This same logic should apply to the CPA, CMA, CIA, PhD, MD, JD, etc, and not just an MBA.

In regards to Jeff's article, that is an interesting position, and I think we can all agree that the market has been flooded with more or less useless business degrees. However I think the article to some degree manipulates the statistics, which is pretty par for the course with any public study, to only examine the areas that benefit their case. For instance they didn't look at what % of candidates that applied with an MBA got jobs vs % of candidates who applied without one. Nor did they look at avg salaries of MBA holders against the rest of society, or the average increase of their salary pre to post MBA.

You can't isolate your group and then make a general statement, to show an MBA doesn't improve your business knowledge or increase earnings by pointing to individuals who were able to succeed without it misses the point. I got my CPA and am getting my Master's degree to advance my knowledge and credentials to an extent above my peers that would have been on an even playing field with me otherwise. Anyone who thinks any credential is going to advance them beyond someone who would have been superior otherwise, is ignorant for thinking so.

AUD - 2/2013 - Passed!
BEC - 5/2013 - Passed!
FAR - 8/2013 - Passed!
REG - 11/2013 - Passed!
"Do or do not, there is no try." - Yoda

[mla1169]

Also don't overlook the significance of knowing your target audience. When I am applying to a job, I definitely stalk LinkedIn beforehand. If I am applying to be CFO or Controller, I try to find the profile of current or previous holders of that position at that particular company. If they're fairly long tenured there and put the MBA after their name, I will certainly add it after my name on my resume. If I see they have a masters but only put CPA after their name, I follow suit. Actually I will add to or modifiy my resume to be similar to the linkedin profile of the predecessor. If their interests include theater I will add in there that I did community theater for 10+ years………..

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Mayo]

“Great article, also you guys should check out the book “The MBA Bubble” by Mariana Zanetti (www.thembabubble.com).”

She's using the term “bubble” wrong IMO. I think the term is “barbell” something-something? In other words…only MBAs to have value are the ones at the very top, while the rest while fade into worthlessness?

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[How many letters do you need]

Fuzy: we disagree to a very large degree on the MBA programs being equal and all of that…but the issue has quite frankly been beaten to death here and there isn't much more to say about that. I am looking at mostly manager to director level Corp finance and accounting jobs. I see it preferred as low as Sr. Analyst level. My point was addressed at the article, not so much at the CPA vs. MBA discussion which has also been beaten to death. Regarding the wish list…well sure it's a wish list but that means all else equal it gives you an edge over somebody who doesn't have it. Which proves my point that, at least for the time being, the MBA is hardly irrelevant.

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Author]

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