College Diplomas on Display at Work (owner, employers, reputation, $40k)

[BostonMike7]

My engineering degree still sits in the sleeve that it came with when I graduated from college. I hadn't even bothered to hang it up at home. I just am not the type to seek attention and even downplay my accomplishments like patents and such. I don't even hang up my patent plaques.

I work with other engineers with master's and PHd's....nobody here hangs them up at work.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Weichert

People really do that? At work?

Mine are in a drawer some where. Haven't looked at them in years.

I've seen it with lawyers, but that is about it.

Nah, not my thing.

[Ted Bear]

So......you "graduated" from pre K and got a certificate. Hang it.

Then, you "graduated" from kindergarten, and got your "degree". Oh baby.

Then, you were featured in that ceremony when you "graduated" from elementary to middle school. That's a hanger upper for sure.

Of course, when you completed junior high and entered high school, that was a pretty big deal. Mom and Dad said so.....so proud. Put that one up. It was a serious time.

And...oh baby...the biggie...High School. That sucker deserves a special place. Maybe even get a copy made so you can have one at home and one in the office.

And, of course, the Really Big One. College. Sheepskin.....well, imitation sheepskin. Big name school...mom and dad still have the second mortgage to prove it. Get pictures...for the family, of course. And....the diploma....? Frame it. Hang it. Prominently. Right there...centered on the cubicle wall. For all to see.

...and wonder why someone/anyone would hang their college diploma on a cubicle/office wall.

No. It is tacky. Conceited. Silly. And makes you look naïve.

[bmwguydc]

I agree that the degree got you in the door, and now it is up to you to succeed. If further education is required in your field, go to night school for an MS or a PhD. If not, then stay late at work, finish your projects early, and go to those who deal with assignments and ask for extra work, taking the time to let them know that you want to be involved in whatever aspects of the business from which you feel excluded.

After six months, they do not know you, or where you went to school, so the responsibility is yours to sell yourself to the programs with which you want to work, because there is no immediate need to redirect assignments to you, as the newbie, versus a proven member of staff who has been there for a period of time, and is known to the project managers. Relying on your diploma to have people beat a path to your cube is the wrong action, rather you must go to them, finishing early and impeccably the assignments given, and then asking for what you seek either as an assignment or to help them meet a deadline.

[ackmondual]

I see many professionals like lawyers and doctors put up their degrees in their offices.

As for putting up other degrees, I don't mind it. It's as every bit as "pretentious" as putting up photos of a patent, a spouse, kids, and pets. It depends.

[gentlearts]

In some professions, clients want to know the credentials of the person they're dealing with...like a doctor, or maybe a financial planner. Otherwise, things like this belong in a private business office, or home office. In the military, they call it an "I love me wall", full of various awards and degrees, so obviously it is meant to be private.

[tdr22]

Doctors offices and there just to assure folks a bit. So what is the dress code at your office, I would suggest tee shirts that say, you know stuff like ' I am Not An Animal.....opps wrong thread, nevermind.

[Mike930]

I wonder how many people actually use their degree outside of engineers, medical profession and attorneys.

I have a degree in marketing that got my foot in the door (insurance claims) and that was all it was good for. I've never used it and I'm not even sure where the diploma is. The Great All-Seeing, All-Knowing Eye (my wife) will know where it is, but I dont.

Are there cubicle dwellers with their diploma in political science on display ?

[Francois]

Originally Posted by candycanechick

Hello,

I have a question about displaying degrees on cube walls. I've been considering framing my bachelors and putting it on my cube wall. I'm a recent grad and have only been working for about 6 months. Some other people have theirs on display as well, but it's not the company norm. Most people at work have a masters. So appearing overly proud of a bachelors seems silly.

But, my degree comes from one of the fields that has a science and engineering flavor (ex computer science vs computer engineering). The engineering degree is significantly more valuable and respected in my particular field.

There has been a growing culture of people saying someone doesn't have credentials to solve a problem, or to do technical work, because they don't have the engineering flavor. A few people that don't know me mistakenly passed me over because they thought I did not have the engineering flavor. Now, I'm really wanting to put my degree on display. I spent to much money and worked to hard for some idiot to take it away from me. But, approximately 50% of the staff have masters.

Does it seem silly when so many have advanced degrees? Can I "get away" with it being a new grad? Does anyone have any advice?

It's a matter of personal taste, but I don't know that I've ever seen any diploma up in a cubicle. Mostly they are put on the wall in an office, just like photos would be. I don't see anything positive or negative about them, and I often find it interesting to learn that my co-coworkers have a degree in something I never would have expected or went to XYZ school, but I don't think less of anybody for having them hanging up. A cubicle wall seems a little "degrading" for a diploma, though, since they are typically framed, and a frame would be very heavy for a cubicle.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Mike930

I wonder how many people actually use their degree outside of engineers, medical profession and attorneys.

Almost everyone I know.