Earning your Master's in Business Administration can qualify you for a promotion and is certainly noteworthy. However, it doesn't necessarily warrant bragging rights every time you put your name on something like stationary, your signature or your business card. Only add your MBA after your name if it is common practice for the situation and informs the other person of something he needs to know, and doesn't already know.

When to Use an MBA After Your Name

Business administration doesn't require a license, specific training or credentials, so people do not need to know you have an MBA. Using the credential unnecessarily might make employers think you lack confidence or are a rookie. It is not common practice to put your MBA after your name in most cases. Listing your MBA on your resume makes sense, and is where employers will look for it. There are some exceptions, such as if you work in academia or are contacting new clients for the first time -- that's where your MBA adds credibility, so go ahead and add it.

How to Add an MBA After Your Name

Add your MBA after your full name, separated by a comma -- for example, "John Doe, MBA." You may choose to include periods when abbreviating the degree as "M.B.A.," but they are not usually necessary. Your organization may have its own style guide and dictate that periods are not used, in which case "John Doe, MBA" will suffice. Be consistent with any writing style or style guide you are using elsewhere on the document.

Adding Your MBA to Your Business Card

According to Eric Jackson, writing for Forbes, putting your MBA on your business card is a big "no-no." You wouldn't list your associate or bachelor's degree on your business card because it is not common practice. Similarly, it is not common practice to add your MBA.

Advertising MBA Specializations

Sometimes it is valuable to list your MBA area of concentration after your name or on your business card. Examples of areas of concentration include an MBA in accounting, health care administration, international business, finance or marketing. You can list this as "John Doe, MBA in Marketing."