Do Employers Value Bachelor Degrees Earned Online?
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Written by John B Maxted   
Sunday, 28 June 2009 09:33
One of the major questions that individuals hold relating to online learning is how employers are going to react to it. Will they perceive that it is lesser quality than a traditional degree, or will they accept it as the same or even think an online education is superior?
by JohnBMaxted


One of the main questions that individuals have pertaining to online learning is how employers are going to respond to it. Will they perceive that it's lesser quality than a conventional degree, or will they accept it as equal or even think more highly of one?

Over the last decade and specifically the last couple of years, employers have shifted their traditional point of view on online bachelors degrees and now take a far more positive view than they have in the past.

Not all that long ago, online bachelors degrees were certainly looked down upon, and even discriminated against when it came to gaining employment. This type of thing occurs when any new process emerges and people are not yet accustomed to it. Also, as online programs began to emerge there was merely a couple of established and well known schools that were offering them. In the last decade, dozens of major universities and colleges have added online bachelor degree programs to their offerings, helping to add legitimacy to the field as a whole and as a result, is helping to change what employers think about online educations.

The apprehension about being looked at negatively should have disappeared for current students and those taking online degrees from now. But could there even now be a potential company or employer that looks negatively towards your degree? For sure, anybody may be skeptical, but the trend is certainly changing. In preparation for running into someone who is not a fan of online bachelor degrees, be certain to stress the finer points and strong points of your online degree clearly in your resume to minimize any questions.

Be ready to talk about your experiences with an online program when you are being interviewed. Clearing up exactly why you decided to pursue an education online, how the classes were controlled, how demanding it was and so on will all help with clarify any concerns even a very skeptical person might have.

You should also ensure that your online degree program is fully accredited. This is another concern that has been erased in the last few years, as there are currently a huge number of options for legitimate online educational programs.

The new trend is that a large number of employers now perceive online bachelor degrees as essentially being more valuable than a conventional education. The main reason for it is because it proves you possess a good knowledge of new and emerging technologies. Video conferencing, webinars, online presentations and other tools have become imperative to corporations, so the ability to highlight your knowledge and experience of these is essential. A student who has studied online will emerge from their program with far more hands on experience and know-how in these areas.

online bachelor degrees require a significant amount of self reliant motivation, responsibility and all around effort. As we move further into the future, more and more people are recognizing this and seeing it as a strength. The view is that a person that can successfully guide themselves through an online degree course while at the same time managing all of the other responsibilities in their life such as a job, children or both, will to complete just about any task or duty at the workplace. It's an additional area that the online degree student certainly has an advantage over the traditional student who probably had a simpler path.

Without a doubt the way that online degrees are perceived today has shifted a huge amount even from just a few years ago. Finished are the stigmas and skeptical employers, replaced by valid benefits and strengths. Just be certain to clearly describe your degree and your program, as well as the reasons why you decided to study online, to help satisfy the queries and concerns of any potential employer.

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