Postnominals – what, why and how?
When you are issued a professional status, you are entitled to use postnominals. But what are they, and why do you need them? We explain with a quick Q&A.
We know it’s important for you to understand how professional status can benefit your career. To support you in making the most out of this celebration of your expertise, we’re looking into one of its key components that will empower you in your work.
When you gain a professional status, you are also entitled to use certain postnominals. They might not seem like much, but postnominals are a great way to ensure that you get the professional recognition you deserve.
To help you to gain the benefits of them, we’ve put together some common questions and clear answers on the what, why and how of postnominals.
Take a look at the FAQs below to learn more about harnessing this career-boosting tool.
What are postnominals?
Postnominals are a designation that sit after your name. They’re also sometimes referred to as postnominal letters, designatory letters or post-nominal titles.
They can indicate a range of things including military honours and qualifications.
CIMSPA issues postnominals that allow you to demonstrate:
- you are qualified to carry out your role and have gained high-quality training to do so
- your professional achievement and experience in the sport and physical activity sector
- that you are dedicated to best practice and delivering an excellent service to participants
- that you are committed to continuing to develop your knowledge and skills.
Here’s an example of how to use them: Tara Dillon FCIMSPA (Chartered).
What postnominals can I use?
When you gain a professional status, this will enable you to use to a specific set of postnominals to demonstrate your level of achievement. These could be:
MCIMSPA
For Practitioners, Managers, Advanced Practitioners and Advanced General Managers
FCIMSPA
For Senior Practitioners and Advanced Senior Managers
MCIMSPA (Chartered)
For Chartered Practitioners and Chartered General Managers
FCIMSPA (Chartered)
For Chartered Senior Practitioners and Chartered Senior Managers
You will be informed of which postnominals you are able to use when you are issued your professional status, and they will be stated in your dashboard after that.
To find out more about the professional statuses mentioned here and what they mean, explore our professional status guidance.
What do the CIMSPA postnominals mean?
You might have guessed that the “CIMSPA” part stands for the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, which is CIMSPA’s full title. As for the other parts:
MCIMSPA
The “M” here stands for member. As a member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, you are recognised as a qualified and driven professional within the sport and physical activity workforce – striving for excellence, development and recognition.
FCIMSPA
The “F” in “FCIMSPA” stands for fellow. As a chartered institute, CIMSPA is able to award the title of fellow to individuals who have demonstrated significant professional achievement and distinguished service in their career. Achieving fellowship is something to aim towards and be proud of – the title is a clear recognition of your accomplishments!
Chartered
Those with “(Chartered)” included in their postnominals have reached the highest levels of achievement in their careers. They will have successfully completed the CIMSPA chartered process, through which they evidence the sector’s professional standards, extensive experience, continuing professional development and excellence and impact within their field.
Chartership takes an immense amount of work to accomplish, but its inclusion in postnominals allows you to indicate your outstanding professional excellence for all to see.
Why should I use my postnominals?
Postnominals aren’t just letters – they represent your hard work, dedication and commitment to your career. Displaying your postnominals after your name is a quick and easy way to tell people a lot about your professional integrity:
It showcases your level of qualification
Accompanying your professional status, you receive postnominals in recognition of your qualifications, experience and competency.
When a professional like you has postnominals awarded by an official body, it’s simple for anyone to find out what training and experience that requires. As you will be able to use different postnominals depending on your professional status, they indicate your level of expertise and scope of practice, allowing you to demonstrate your abilities in just a few letters.
Plus, they’re easier to use than showing potential clients and employers your certificates!
It demonstrates that you are committed to excellence
Not just anyone can gain and retain postnominals. As a professional status holder, we know that you are dedicated to your career and have the high-quality knowledge and skills to prove it.
Professionals in many other trusted careers, for example, accountants and doctors, rely on them as a quick way to demonstrate that they are a qualified expert in their work.
Postnominals are the best way to tell clients, employers and sector connections this – at a glance, anyone can see that you’re a professional.
It shows that you care about continuing professional development
With the world changing fast, continuing professional development is essential to ensuring that your knowledge is up to date. To maintain your professional status, you are required to complete training and expand your knowledge every year, and your postnominals indicate this dedication to others.
Your postnominals will change as you gain higher professional statuses, so they also indicate how much you have grown.
It helps to establish your credibility
As postnominals are used across a wide range of sectors, many people see them as a mark of reliability. If clients don’t know who to trust, they will be more likely to turn to someone that they can see is recognised by a professional body in the sector – and postnominals are a clear sign of this.
It can advance your career
When postnominals demonstrate all this, of course employers will be looking out for them! Displaying your postnominals on places like LinkedIn and your CV mean that recruiters and hiring managers don’t even need to look further than your name to see that you are a qualified and committed candidate.
Many sport and physical activity sector employers are also CIMSPA partners, so they truly understand the value offered by professional status holders as employees.
It can connect you with like-minded people
Want to meet other professionals with a similar commitment to their career? Just check their name! Having a professional status connects you with thousands of other sport and physical activity professionals who are all passionate about their work.
Networking with your peers can open all kinds of doors for your career, so display your postnominals with pride and be part of this recognised, valued and inclusive community.
Where can I use my postnominals?
You can use your post-nominals on any professional communications to showcase your expertise. Some great places include your:
- CV
- LinkedIn profile
- Social media accounts
- Email signature
- Business cards
- Job applications
How can I get them?
We issue professional status, accompanied by postnominals, to practitioners and managers within the sport and physical activity sector.
You are able to use them as soon as you gain your first professional status – which means you may already have them and can start using them straight away.
If you don’t already have a professional status, then apply now to demonstrate your achievements and open doors for your career.
Before you apply, we recommend collating an up-to-date record of your qualifications and CPD so that we can issue you the professional status that best recognises your level of expertise.
If this isn’t you but you’d like to join our professional development body to further your career in the sector, then we also offer associate, affiliate, student and graduate membership.