I’ve been seeing a lot of mysterious resume acronyms lately. Being new to the healthcare recruiting industry, I asked my new co-workers if they could define these "certifications" for me. (Appearing after the candidate’s name at the top of their resume.)
BA, MA.
They were as stumped as I was. Reading through the resume, we ascertained that the candidates were indicating their education level. And we all *also* agreed that it was inappropriate.
I’ve repeatedly stressed the importance of *targeted* information on your resume. With as many people out of work that each candidate is competing against, trying to be "clever" or to stand out can backfire on you in a major way.
Certifications are issued by governing bodies that establish and administer standards and then test that knowledge with rigorous *professional* examinations.
An advanced degree may be required to take the certification tests, but the degree is not the certification designation. For example, an attorney, or Esq., requires a JD. But the award of a Doctorate Jurisprudence is indicated in the appropriate educational placement. "Esquire" indicates that the attorney has passed the bar exam. Not all people with JD’s are attorneys.
Save the certification acronyms unless you’ve taken the *tests*. I’ll find out you have a BA or MA or MS when I read the education section.