We live in testing times. I mean that literally. In order to ensure we have useful lives and successful careers we are assessed from the day we are born. That's why you get a slap as a welcome into the world, to ensure you cry and everything works OK. Of course it's pretty much downhill from there.

Now, I have a six year old who will be sitting SATS this school year. For goodness sake. Six year olds doing exams. It's rather interesting, as a report from the great and the good in education has just concluded we shouldn't even be starting to formally educate kids in England till they are six. Though having commissioned the report the Government say this conclusion is ‘disappointing'.

It might be a bit bonkers to give six year olds tests, but we do instinctively need to grade people. From OBE to BA to FCILT, simple initials on a business card can act as shorthand to give you an impression of what you can expect a person to achieve if you are working with them.

Now it's not always an infallible guide, I know MAs who can't blow their own nose with any real success, while I've worked with people who have left school with scarcely a GCSE to their name but can sort problems that leave me staring in bafflement at a computer screen for months.

I have a BA Honours degree, but, trust me, it's not a great gauge of my intelligence. I fell out of the stupid tree when I was born and my head hit on every branch on the way down.

But accurate professional assessments give you a sort of thumbnail sketch of where someone is in their career and what they might achieve for you - as an employee or partner in a venture. And that's why our post nominals are so useful. Not every member has post nominals, affiliate grade members don't have them. The first grade is Member, then Chartered Member, then Chartered Fellow......…...........more

 David Jinks
 Editor

 Read full Editor's blog                                  Email feedback to the editor