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10 Things Employers Think About Your Online Degree
Discover what employers look for.
Obtaining a degree through in-person classes is not practical or even feasible for some people. Online education offers flexibility to those who have to balance school with family life or a job. For prospective online students, it’s important to consider what employers think about job applicants who didn’t earn a degree in a traditional classroom setting.
Here are 10 facts to know about how today’s employers view online degrees.
1. Acceptance of online degrees has risen.
As technology has advanced in recent years and virtual communication has become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers’ perspectives on online degrees have changed. Most colleges offer online options and, as a result, many employers have begun to recognize them equally.
“Over the last couple of years, everybody was online, whether you wanted to be or not,” says Jill Chapman, senior performance consultant at human resources firm Insperity. “I think it doesn’t matter as much to the future employer about whether it was in person or online, I think it matters what you were studying and it matters whether or not your degree comes from a school that was accredited.”
2. Overall, employer views still vary.
Though perceptions have shifted, a range of opinions on online learning remain, experts say. There are still some who would hesitate to hire or consider an online degree holder.
That will vary depending on the company and the field of work, says Greg Keller, chief operating officer at the Washington, D.C.-based national recruiting firm Bloomfield & Company. Companies in the “elite worlds of big law, big consulting, big tech, etc.,” might put more weight on where a degree comes from, he says.
“But in the day-to-day workforce that most people are employed in? I think online vs. in-person is increasingly irrelevant to employers,” he says. “I’m sure COVID accelerated that.”
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Acceptance of online degrees has risen
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Especially for lesser-known schools, employers will often verify whether an online program is accredited, meaning an outside authority ensures the program meets high standards of quality. Accreditation serves as “a line of demarcation” in terms of the quality and legitimacy of a degree, Chapman says.
It’s also a signal of trust, says Marni Baker Stein, chief academic officer and provost at Western Governors University, an online school based in Utah.
“That’s what the employers, and individuals who are seeking a credential, are looking for,” she says. “Is this institution trustworthy? Am I going to get a high-quality credential out of this experience that I’m spending my time and money on?”
4. Some employers prefer nonprofit over for-profit online programs.
A stigma remains for for-profit online degree programs, which have faced widespread criticism for low completion rates, questionable recruitment practices and accusations of fraud in recent years. But experts say some employers are becoming more receptive to them.
“My guess would be that if you’ve got five really qualified applicants, and one of them has the for-profit degree, it could work against them,” Keller says. “But ultimately our clients are focused on real skills, previous experience and what a potential employee can bring to the table, not the perceived quality of the academic institution they attended.”
5. They value competency-based learning.
While employers are interested in hiring candidates with a degree, they also want to see students demonstrate skills relevant to the job. Online learning might not provide the same hands-on collaborative experience that in-person learning does, but it’s not necessarily a detriment to employers, experts say. That’s especially true if an individual worked in a related field while obtaining their online degree.
With online competency-based programs, students work at their own pace and move on when they’ve mastered the material, rather than waiting for a semester to end. That gives students the flexibility to get experience in the fields in which they’re interested in being employed. Employers value that experience and are attracted to candidates who have obtained the necessary skills in a resourceful way.
“These individuals not only have a credential, but they have the skills and competencies that are needed on the job,” says Baker Stein of WGU. “That trust cycle is really critical for us as online educators to gain momentum.”
6. They won’t instantly know a degree was earned online.
Experts say employers are largely more interested in the person than the degree. They generally won’t recognize immediately if that person’s degree was obtained online or in person. Some schools are fully online while others offer online programs in addition to their traditional in-person options. The method in which a degree was obtained doesn’t matter quite like it used to, Chapman says.
“If I can talk to you about what the curriculum looked like, how you worked through the curriculum, and I could be satisfied with the ideas of competencies in certain areas, the level of collaboration and the ways you learned in that online environment,” she says, “I think it doesn’t matter to me as much about whether it was online or in person, as long as some of those ideas have been met.”
7. They might wonder why you pursued a degree online.
An explanation here helps to contextualize a person, Keller says.
“The reason is almost always family obligations or financial, and I think employers respect candidates who have had to maybe skip out on a traditional college experience in favor of a more flexible experience that allows them to continue working,” he says.
Baker Stein hopes any stigma over online degrees is starting to dissipate as more and more students choose that route. “Everybody needs a way to access education given their circumstances,” she says. “Online provides a lot of flexibility and that access that we never had before. It’s a great driver of equity and opportunity for people who didn’t have it in the past. I hope we’re moving into a new era.”
8. Many will respect your time-management skills.
Online students often balance their education with a full-time job, and many employers would view that as a positive, says Tim Carlson, senior vice president of professional search for recruitment firm Tatum by Randstad.
That was the case for Jered Patrick, who earned an online bachelor’s degree from Liberty University in Virginia in 2011. He worked at a landscaping company and interned at a church in Massachusetts while completing his degree. That experience taught him how to take control of his schedule and be self-motivated, he says.
“You had to really take matters into your own hands and be independent,” he says. “You had to be very disciplined. In the evenings, you’re tired, and you have to work through exhaustion to read a book or finish a paper. I think all of those things have served me well, just in terms of work ethic.”
9. They will be curious about your collaboration skills.
Students who obtain an online degree are used to collaborating in an online setting. Group projects and labs are often done over Zoom calls. In-person communication is replaced by text messages and emails. These skills and characteristics are useful in a post-pandemic professional world, where hybrid and remote work is becoming more common, experts say.
“The collaborative piece is always something we want to look at for teamwork, being able to have these interactions and it not be weird,” Carlson says. “We do sales calls all day long with clients like this (over Zoom). They’re used to it, the clients are used to it, the hiring managers, the people going through it are used to it.”
10. The online degree is just one piece of the puzzle.
Students have a variety of reasons for why they pursued an online degree over an in-person degree. Chapman says applicants should welcome those questions and use them as an opportunity to share their story.
“We’ve all begun to realize that education is just one piece of the puzzle,” she says. For employers, learning “who these people are, what they did before and after college, what they did while they were in school, and some of the experiences they had are every bit as relevant as that college degree.”
What employers think about your online degree.
- Acceptance of online degrees has risen.
- Overall, employer views still vary.
- Accreditation is particularly important.
- Some employers prefer nonprofit over for-profit online programs.
- They value competency-based learning.
- They won’t instantly know a degree was earned online.
- They might wonder why you pursued a degree online.
- Many will respect your time-management skills.
- They will be curious about your collaboration skills.
- The online degree is just one piece of the puzzle.
The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has requested a review of the alleged $200m bribe case against a former Attorney-General of Lagos State, Olasupo Shasore.
This, was according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the EFCC counsel, Mr Bala Sanga (SAN), informed an Ikeja Special Offences Court that there was a request from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, for a review of the case.
Sanga said the request for review was due to the recent judgment of a United Kingdom Court.
He said the Federal Government of Nigeria had won its case against Process & Industrial Developments Ltd. in the UK court in October.
According to him: “The judgment was delivered after five years of legal fireworks which was finally given in favour of Nigeria, as the court quashed the 11 billion dollars arbitration award in favour of P&ID.
“As a result of the judgement of the London Court, which I can call the ‘mother case,’ the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has recalled all documents for a comprehensive review and we have a letter to that effect.
“We, therefore, request for an adjournment as the prosecution awaits the outcome of the review.”
There was no objection raised by the lead defence counsel, Mr Chijioke Okoli (SAN).
Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case until Jan. 24, 2024, for further report.
Shasore served as the Attorney-General of Lagos State and the Commissioner for Justice during the tenure of Babatunde Fashola as the governor.
The embattled senior lawyer is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on alleged bribery of public officers, preferred against him by the EFCC.
He had pleaded not guilty, following his arraignment on Oct. 21, 2022.
EFCC alleged that Shasore corruptly gave the sum of 100,000 dollars to one Olufolakemi Adelore, the Director Legal, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The money was alleged to be given on account of the role she played in the arbitration proceedings instituted by Process and Industrial Developments Ltd. against the ministry.
It was also alleged that the defendant corruptly gave the sum of 100,000 dollars to one Ikechukwu Oguine, Secretary to the Cooperation and Coordinator.
The money was also alleged to have been given on account of the role he played in the arbitral proceedings instituted by P&ID against the ministry.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravene Section 9(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
NAN
The post AGF to review Shasore’s case appeared first on NewsNow Nigeria.
entertainment
Amid Isreal DMW’s marital saga, Davido shares a cryptic message about the value of words
Davido, the music star, has responded to the marital drama involving his logistics manager, Isreal DMW.
Prior reports from NewsNow revealed that Isreal had opened up about his marital crisis, recounting how he met his wife, elevated her status, and provided for her and her family.
Regrettably, their marriage didn’t last long as the situation deteriorated when his wife tried to change him to meet her standards and often shamed him for being broke.
Ultimately, she left the marriage and went to live with a friend in Abuja, whom Isreal labeled as a prost!tute. Isreal denied allegations of physically assaulting her, called out his mother-in-law, and directed curses at Sheila.
In another post, he disclosed his struggle with depression but expressed gratitude for Davido, who consistently checked on him.
In what appears to be a response, Davido posted on his Twitter page, emphasizing the importance of speaking only when necessary because words hold significant value.
“Speak when necessary. The words carry more value then”.
Israel and Sheila got married on Thursday, October 20, 2022, in a traditional ceremony held in Benin City, followed by their white wedding two days later.
Less than a year after their lavish wedding, the couple parted ways after NewsNow, a controversial Instagram blogger, revealed details about their separation.
The blog alleged that the 02 performing artist and his wife ended their marriage due to domestic violence allegations, and Sheila returned her bride price.
The couple later confirmed the news after Sheila publicly criticized the 002 performing artist for sharing a photo of them from their traditional marriage and referring to her as his wife.
The post Amid Isreal DMW’s marital saga, Davido shares a cryptic message about the value of words appeared first on NewsNow Nigeria.
on the 24 th of November 2023 , a concert organized by Orange saw petit pays as the headline artist alongside Davido.
over 30,000 people turned up at the Bepanda stadium Douala to watch and enjoy this concert and everywhere was full of vibes.
Davido gave an impressive performance with some of his old and new songs and warmed up the stage for music legend petit pays who closed the concert.
Petit Pays made a spectacular entrance and kept everyone on a choke hold , Petit pays who has been on the music scene for decades was still able to excite fans like it was just yesterday, he performed some of his African hit songs and the crowd went “bonkas” hyping and singing word for word.
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