Online Education Blog

If you are a recent graduate from an online program, a student currently attending an online university, or a prospective college student looking into online education, fear not; 2009′s recession might make job hunting difficult, but your resume has the chance to stand out from the rest!

You may take two approaches: be open that you attended an online university, and explain why that’s a good thing; or simply treat your school like any other school on your resume.

Option One: “Yes, I went to an online school!”

There are some employers that are still wary of online education, despite the clear advancement its made and the recognition it has received from the U.S. Department of Education, so be on your toes. An online degree, however, might make a memorable impression in an interview if played right (and for the right kind of company), so it’s an option you will want to consider before going to the default treat-it-as-any-other-school alternative.

Consider the following advantages you could bring up about online education:

• You are unquestionably computer savvy
• You have operated under deadlines your entire college education
• Online education is considered superior to traditional education by the USDE (and hybrid education, or a combination of the former two, is the best option possible)
• If you obtained your bachelor degree online, you might consider going back to an online school to pursue your master degree and further yourself in the company
• Your school was accredited. Take advantage of buzzwords that will impress your interviewer like: accredited, certified, developed, credentialed, awarded, etc.
• Note any campus-related connections your online education might have had; for example, Saint Leo University has a Center of Online Learning, but they also have a classic Florida campus that has been providing quality education for over a century

When your employer is interview several, perhaps hundreds of others with degrees, and these degrees get meshed into a list of names, that fact you were an “online degree” student will make your name stand out from the masses. Employers that are in the tech industry, such as Internet marketing, SEO/SEM, programmers, etc. will have more respect for an degree acquired through technology than other industries.

Option Two: “I attended an accredited university.”

If you feel your employer may frown upon your online degree, there’s no need to bring it up. You went to an accredited institution, and that validates your degree regardless of the methods used to obtain it.

Consider the following strategy:

• If they do not ask about your education, do not bring it up
• If they do ask about your degree, discuss the merits of your school and stress the accreditation your school offered
• Do not fall into the pit trap of mentioning that you did not have classroom interaction; instead, discuss about group projects that you did through your online class’s forums and demonstrate you work will in a team (unless, of course, it is not a team-related job)

Good luck building up your resume and discussing your education at your interview!