Email Bragnature
An email bragnature is an email signature, also known as an email footer, comprised mostly of acronyms, accolades, and titles one writes of his or herself.
A simple email signature with a job title and contact information is not a bragnature because this information is most likely of use to general email recipients.
A lengthy email signature with unrelated titles, awards, and mostly meaningless (to most other people) acronyms is a bragnature. The general feel one gets of the bragnature is that the composer is very conceited and feels it critical to let others know of all titles and accomplishments even though they may be anywhere on the spectrum from impressive to ridiculous.
The email bragnature is not to be confused with the overly decorated email signature, that is to say, when an individual uses images and formatting in an attempt to turn the email signature into a great work of art that most modern email clients simple strip off the message when displaying it to the recipient thus resulting in a colossal waste of the designer's own time and effort. The email bragnature may or may not be decorated in such a way and it is irrelevant to the definition. The most common email bragnature is composed entirely out of plain ascii text. One can certainly combine the bragnature with graphics and attachments to further compound the obnoxiousness quality of the correspondence.
Contents
NPD - Recommended acronym for the bragnature
One obvious characteristic of NPD, or Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a need for admiration. People with this condition are frequently described as arrogant, self-centered, manipulative, and demanding. They may also concentrate on grandiose fantasies (e.g. their own success, beauty, brilliance) and may be convinced that they deserve special treatment. These characteristics typically begin in early adulthood and must be consistently evident in multiple contexts, such as at work, in relationships, and how they compose their emails!
The most honest bragnature would contain the acronym NPD along with a URL pointing to a definition, or better yet, the entire definition attached to the email footer below all of the other acronyms and titles.
Joe Blow Ph.D., MSNBC, Community Organizer, BOE Janitorial Custodian Engineer, MD, FRCSC, MPH, MSc, MBA, PhD-again, Highschool Diploma, and NPD type person.
This guy is a doctor in some unspecified field, likes to boss around his neighbors, cleans toilets by day and is overly involved in everyone else's lives by night. He will probably end up being mayor of your town.
Create your own bragnature
Utilize a degree from an organization without accreditation if you lack a legitimate one. Join some non-profit organizations that will allow you to make up an important sounding title for yourself. There are even groups that will take your money and give you a very impressive sounding title with an acronym. Think of all of the obscure hobbies you have been involved with over the years and barrow some technical sounding jargon from them to create a title. If all of that fails you, there are some web sites that can assist you in creating a title for yourself.
Real life example bragnatures
We'd like to hear from you! Share your favorite bragnature with us created by someone you've received an email from. There's no need to make one up, the wealth of real email bragnatures out there is endless.
The nobody amateur radio operator
Don Brown (.-- ----- .- ..-.) ARRL VE, FE, WØAF Emergency Coordinator ARES/ARRL Mills County, IA
To be a member of the ARRL only requires you pay money and have a radio license that many 10-year-olds acquire, to be a VE requires nothing special as they pretty much let anyone with a license do this without regards to actual working knowledge of radio, and the rest is volunteer things that this guy again pays a bunch of money to do, is not really utilized anymore, and carries no real clout with anyone outside of a few amateur radio fan boys.
This is a verified bragnature. This guy coordinates nothing of importance but desires deeply to have your admiration and respect.
Comments on this subject from various online sources
I really can’t stand people that have a hundred letters after their name for every certification they’ve received in their professional career. I know you’ve come across the real estate agent who’s business card looks like this: John Smith, GRI, eTech, AIS, REI.
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You’ve probably also seen the IT professional with a business card that looks like this: Horatio Rodriguez, A+, MCP, MCSP, MCSE. It just looks silly, doesn’t it?
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I always ask myself what the objective is for listing any of my certifications or education before I include them on anything. So far, the only place I have found it necessary is on my resume so I can get through the HR filters and show my qualifications for the position I am competing for. The position I am in now requires I maintain a certain baseline so I do not feel it is necessary to list that information anywhere. The complicated part is that few people outside the field know what the baseline is or even what it takes to attain it which, leads me to believe it is even more unnecessary to include it. This is one of the few instances I suppose it’s easier to be a doctor. When they write Dr. Doogie Howser, MD, everyone already knows they have a PhD and are CPR certified. In this field it is less defined and that is where the uncertainty comes.
The other aspect I sometimes contemplate with is how to handle the certifications and education that are above the baseline.
Overall, my past experiences have led me to believe that listing my certifications and education is unnecessary.
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I don't simply because what's the motivation for posting nominals? Few people at my work outside of project managers put their alphabet soup in their signature.
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I want my discussions, arguments, and statements to be judged on their own merit rather than be defended by a qualification.
If I am engaging someone in a conversation I want to be both credible and memorable without any assistance. If I failed to do that, then I have some personal growth to accomplish.
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I am of the belief that less is better. If you feel the need to list EVERY certification you have ever accomplished, then it seems to come across as bragging or looking for status. I have seen people with very long alphabet soups after their name. Most times I never really notice the credentials after the name unless it is too long. Then it becomes "Why do they feel the need to put so much info out there?" I am reminded of the Shakespeare quote "Me think thou dost protest too much." In other words, what are you trying to prove by putting it all out there?
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My "feeling" on the first glance at an email, business card, bio, etc. is to cringe and then wonder what selfish motives are behind the listing of 20 creds. I mean really. What does it prove? That the person is a professional student, test taker and braggart. I certainly wouldn't want to be teamed with that person on a real project
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MBA in your signature? I have never seen that from anyone with an MBA from a good school. I have seen some idiots with a UPhoenix MBA try it. If you have a Wharton or HBS MBA, you have no need to advertise it IMO.
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I always list my Bronze Swimming Certificate and Silver Swimming Certificate.
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it kinda seems like people who have all there education and certs listed are just screaming for attention.
External Resources
keywords: conceited arrogant narcissistic bs sig code
