Why Online Degrees Open Interview Doors Faster Than Traditional Ones

online degrees


As online universities gain clout and prove their capabilities, even the most old-fashioned employers are opening up to candidates with an online degree. In fact, many of today’s employers are more likely to choose candidates with an online degree as opposed to a traditional one. Here are some of the reasons why.

You’ve Shown Initiative

Any wise employer will value initiative highly. According to author and career success coach Andy Robinson, initiative is the trait that provides the most clear indication of growth potential and leadership abilities. While any potential employee may brag about his or her creativity and initiative in getting a job done, your degree serves as proof that you’ve taken the leap, done the research, and gotten yourself working every day as you pursued your education.

You Can Complete Tasks Through Written Communication

When surveyed about the skills of recent college graduates, 104 Silicon Valley employers consistently cited written communication as an area where improvement was needed. Online learning addresses this shortfall naturally. While online college courses often integrate video classrooms and other virtual learning environments, written communication remains the primary mode of connecting with professors and fellow students.

Not only have you demonstrated the ability to complete tasks based on written instructions, but you have far more experience in task-driven writing when compared with an average brick-and-mortar college graduate.

You Have a Degree from a Reputable University

While a degree from an Ivy League institution certainly has an added value, that value comes largely from the sense of familiarity employers have with the institution and its reputation.

Employers aren’t likely to recognize the name or reputation of a school unless it’s one of the most publicized institutions, which means a degree from a local college gives less of an advantage than a degree from a reputable online university.

You Are Experienced with Technology

In the previously mentioned survey of Silicon Valley employers, another area of concern was the ability of recent graduates to use online technologies (such as email, calendars, etc.) for professional purposes. Brick-and-mortar schools typically provide at least some exposure to these tools, but the training students receive is often sporadic and sometimes outdated. Online schools not only help students develop digital skills, but allow students to use a variety of cutting-edge utilities while gaining experience in turning their computer into a productivity tool. Further, simply choosing to attend college online demonstrates that you’re a computer-savvy individual who stays at the vanguard of technology.

In a business world that’s becoming increasingly digital, online degree courses are gaining greater value with each passing year. Regardless of your career path, getting an education online makes you a stand-out candidate as you connect with prospective employers.

Have you considered getting an online degree? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Natalie Bracco is a freelance writer for www.copyforbylines.com. You can find her writing about technology, education, food and finance. Follow her on Twitter @nataliebracco.

Discussion

  1. Andrew on the 28th November

    You can get all this and more through traditional means as well. One thing employers want is the ability to work with teams for projects, which is becoming very common with traditional classes. This aspect is almost unheard of with online degrees.

    • Natalie Bracco on the 30th November

      Thank you for your comment, Andrew! I agree with you that working in teams is something a student gets better hands-on experience with by a traditional school; however, I also think online education offers many valuable experiences that traditional outlets don’t offer as well. Thanks for reading. 🙂

  2. Emily Green on the 28th November

    Wish I would’ve known this before going to college. At least I can keep this in mind when thinking about where to send my children

    • Natalie Bracco on the 30th November

      Thank you for commenting, Emily! I think online education is becoming more and more popular because of its ability to enable people to multi-task career, school, and life easier. I also think talking with your children about the pros/cons of traditional vs. online school is a great idea. Thanks for reading! 🙂

  3. Batyr on the 29th November

    A different and good point here. What could be better is – if you could give us the best resources for this kind of education.
    I have another word for you, dear ”Workawesome” editors. What is going on with this site/blog?! I see no comments and the articles are going fewer and shorter. What should we/I do to make it any better? This is a great source for me and I do not want it end so soon.

  4. Matt S on the 5th December

    As a recruiter, I can say that this is not true. Given two candidates with similar backgrounds but one has an on-line degree and the other has a brick and mortar degree, the client will choose to see the latter 90% of the time. The exceptions are is the candidate has work experience that the employer thinks is valuable.

    • Steve Smith on the 9th February

      This is one of the most frustrating things for me, to the point where I feel bad for the company being represented by this recruiter because of how many quality candidates they could be passing over. The advantage the online student has is exactly what you mentioned, experience. I have a 4 year head start on practical work experience over others my age. Not to mention I have an extensive network of top executives who are also online educated Alumni, worked out well.

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