What Do Employers Really Think Of Online Education?
Online education isn’t anymore just a mere option for privileged children. It’s now a necessity to continue education amid this deadly pandemic. As per the Department of Education, students tend to perform better in an online learning environment than those learning the same materials in a traditional environment. Since online education is new to a lot of students, especially young graduates, you may question its credibility in the professional world.
What do employers think of online education?
Or, to be more specific,
Is the online degree as credible as the traditional academic degree?
Well, about 61% of HR professionals believe that online education is of equal or greater importance than traditional systems. 83% of business leaders consider an online degree earned from a reputed institution having the same value as the one earned from traditional campuses. There’s nothing to worry about if you have an online degree as long as it is from a reputed institution. Your potential employers are most likely to consider the online degree as valuable as the one earned from a brick and mortar institution.
How Employers Assess Online Degrees?
Whether you have resorted to online education due to the pandemic or because you couldn’t complete the education earlier, it is imperative to figure out first the credibility of the online degree. After all, it won’t make any sense if you work hard to earn your degree only to be rejected by potential employers. So, let’s see what goes on in the mind of employers related to online degrees.
- Your online degree has the same value as an on-campus degree only if you have earned it from a well-known institution. However, let’s say you haven’t earned the degree from a reputed institution. In that case, there are chances your degree might not be considered credible. 58% of employers have confirmed that an academic institution’s reputation and brand are what matters irrespective of whether your degree is online or not.
- It has also been found that employers value online degrees from a school or college that provides on-campus coursework along with online essay writer As per the Society for Human Resources Management, 92% of employers prefer online degrees from a brick and mortar schools.
Only 42% of employers accept online degrees from universities that solely operate online. Employers believe that the brick and mortar institutions invest the same time and attention to develop their online courses as they would do for traditional courses.
Four Thoughts Employers Have Regarding Online Education
According to expert essay typers, employers favour online degrees just as they favour traditional academic qualifications. However, it is better that you stay aware of their thoughts before applying for jobs with your online degree.
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MOST employers accept online degrees
Why wouldn’t they? Look around. The pandemic has taken over the entire world, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. More than 3 million schools and colleges have shut down. Students have no other option but to resort to online education. Similarly, employers have no option but to accept online degrees.
Do not let this point mislead you. There are employers still who may not accept online degrees. You should be prepared to come across a wide range of perspectives while seeking jobs in the professional world. Mary M. Massad, a division president of recruiting services at Insperity, says, “Not every company is going to view an online degree in HR equally.”
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Accreditation is specifically important
Massad from Insperity also says, “The key for our clients and how we guide them is that the online degree is coming from an accredited program or school.” That means most employers prefer online degrees from an accredited school or college.
In accredited online programs, a third-party authority ensures that the course or program meets high standards of quality. So, your employers assured that the candidate is knowledgeable in her/his subject despite holding an online degree. After all, it was a common myth that online education doesn’t really educate children. People used to think that it’s an easy way to get a degree without any hard work. Thankfully, these notions are changing gradually.
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Some employers value non-profit programs more
For-profit online courses have always received criticism from academicians and even some employers. From low completion rates to questionable recruitment practices, there has been a slew of factors that hampered the reputation of these courses. However, for-profit online courses also consist of certain advantages such as:
- The application process is comparatively easier.
- SOME even have a close connection with employers though the number is low.
- These programs are most likely to be globally or nationally accredited.
- For-profit online programs boost enrolment during the pandemic.
It is quite tempting to enrol in for-profit online courses. Your degree from these courses may still matter at some companies. However, most companies prefer online degrees from non-profit programs. Make sure you do your homework before enrolling in an online course.
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Competency-based online programs aren’t popular among employers
The main purpose of competency-based online programs is to cut back on the money and time required to complete a degree. If you opt for these programs, you can zip through the courses you are already familiar with and invest significant time in subjects you struggle with. These programs offer you a degree not only on the basis of your subject-specific knowledge but also based on how you can use the knowledge to highlight your competencies.
According to a survey, not many employers are familiar with the concept of competency-based online programs. But, that doesn’t mean they consider these programs from a negative point of view. They might be willing to know more about this option from the candidates. It is expected that employers are most likely to favour these programs once they understand their purpose and fundamentals.
Wrapping Up,
It is normal to have queries and doubts before enrolling in an online program. What if the employers do not approve of the online degree? Will the employers rate my paper seriously even if I have an online degree? I hope this blog has resolved most of your queries. Online degrees have the same importance as traditional degrees only if you have earned the former from an accredited institution.
Author Bio:
Sarah Jones is a content creator at a reputed firm in the United Kingdom. She also provides assignment help at MyAssignmenthelp.com. Sarah loves to spend time with her family whenever she is free.