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Are you interested on learning how to prepare a resume highlighting an online college degree? If you are currently working, parenting, and studying to earn your degree, you can appreciate the flexibility that an online degree program offers, but not all employers look highly upon online degree holders. The key to using an online degree to your advantage is highlighting the unique skills you have gained by studying to become a graduate online. While traditional degree programs have their advantages, online courses will teach students how to be independent and responsible in unique ways. If you want recruiters to look highly upon your degree, here are tips on how to structure and word your resume.
How to List Your Education on Your Resume
Bachelor’s degrees attained online are becoming increasingly accepted by employers because so many candidates are studying online. With more than 6.7 million students taking at least one online course each year, you can see that distance education is hear to stay. This means that more and more employers are equating an online degree with the same value as a traditional degree, but not all employers in all industries can be convinced that an online degree is equal.
If you want to get your foot in the door during the recruiting process, you cannot assume that the hiring manager of an organization is happy to see online degree holders. It is in your best interest to list your degree as you would a traditional degree on your resume. Put the name of the institution, your major, and also your GPA to attract recruiters. If you earned your online degree from an institution that offers both traditional and online courses, this can work to your advantage. For students who have attended a well-known online school, it may be in your best interest to list the accreditation body of the school so that the recruiter knows that your degree is legitimate. Many recruiters automatically assume that online programs are sub-par, but having an accreditation ensures the standards are just as high as a traditional program.
Resource: How Can I Find Out If an Online College is Accredited?
Focus on the Skills You Gained From Studying Independently
Your resume is all about marketing yourself as the best candidate for the position. You can use the fact that you studied online to your advantage, even if you do not yet have professional experience in the field. If you are applying for positions that require you to work independently, you can point out that you studied for 2 to 4 years independently. This shows that you have organizational skills and are the type to commit and perform under pressure. By putting these skills on your resume, you can show that your online degree instilled skills that a traditional program does not. Point out these skills as you are interviewing, and it will be difficult for a recruiter to frown upon your degree.
Surveys given to employers show that 75 percent of recruiters embrace online credentials and the remaining 25 percent do not. The key to finding a recruiter to embrace your online degree rather than shame it is to highlight what it takes for a student to earn a degree online. Be sure to take the time to learn how to prepare a resume highlighting an online degree, and you can market yourself so that you land the job.
