1. So many Job Search Boards, so little time -

There is quite a bit of overlap across the major job search sites (especially the job site aggregators), so using more than 5 job search sites does not add much value. Pick two or three job search boards for your job search. One should be a job search board that is dedicated or focused on your job/career type (such as financial services, retail, etc.). The other two resources should be in the “top 10″ job search boards with at least one a job search aggregator. Also, limit the auto email function for jobs that match your profile. While some work reasonably well, others are not even close and are a waste of time.

– More – 27 Job Search Boards and Thousands of Jobs

2. Older is Not Always Better -

Older jobs that is. If you are using a job search site, narrow your searches to jobs that were posted within the last 7 days. Jobs posted more than 7 days ago most likely have had tens (or 100) responses and will probably be a waste of time. If, however, you’ve exhausted all of the job opportunities that are 7 days or newer then take a look at some older job postings, but don’t get carried away.

- More – CareerAlley Job Search

3. Long Cover Letters Just Don’t Work -

Your cover letter is meant to be an introduction and should be short (not an bio of your entire career). A few short paragraphs are fine. You should start your cover letter with an explanation as to why you are writing (applying for a job opening, referred by someone in your network, etc.). Next, follow with why you are the perfect candidate. Cover the skills that match the job description and make sure you demonstrate that you know about their company. Close your letter by thanking them for their consideration and indicate that you will follow up with them in a few weeks (and don’t forget your contact information).

- More – 10 Snack-size Cover Letter Writing Tips

4. Interviewers Don’t Want to Hear About Your Summer Vacation -

When interviewers say “So tell me about yourself”, they are really wondering how you will respond to an unstructured question. While the interviewer does want to know what you’ve done that is relevant to the opportunity, they also want to know what you think is important.  This is a perfect example where less is more.  Keep it short and focus on what you think will most interest the interviewer about you. This should include relevant accomplishments, but leave personal details for the “So what do you do in your spare time?” question.

- More – The Top Three Things Employers Look for in an Interview

5. Long Resumes Without Examples of Relevant Accomplishments Get Trashed -

Your resume is your most important career document.  While you don’t want to leave out important relevant information, you should not include irrelevant “noise”. Your resume should be concise, include accomplishments with specific examples and should minimize jobs outside of your industry.

- More – Resume Layout: Choosing the Right One for Your Professional Profile

Good luck in your search.

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Web Page Designer

A web page designer is responsible for developing websites and web pages to meet the specific needs of their clients. These web pages can be quite diverse depending on the type of site and the functions that the client wants incorporated into their website. The vast majority of web page designers have at least some basic programming experience that can help them to create site pages that not only look exactly the way a client wants, but that also function according to the needs of their clients. The artistic layout, programming, functionality and content are all important aspects of a job as a web page designer. Individuals who are interested in a career in this field will typically make between $50,000 and $100,000 per year if they work for a company. Of course, salary generally depends on a number of important criteria, such as a person’s level of experience, training and previous work produced. Additionally, freelance web page designers often charge by the project or hour and can often earn $75 to $100 per hour, depending on what area of the country they live.

Computer and Information Systems Manager

A computer systems management position or information systems manager, can encompass a wide variety of duties, including overseeing a company’s IT department. A person in this position will typically manage all computer related activities within an organization or company, including determining the business’s information management needs and ensuring that the right equipment and software is implemented in order to meet these specific goals. Computer systems managers can expect to earn between $100,000 and $150,000 and will generally hold a full-time position within a large organization or company.

Computer Science Teacher

A computer science teacher can specialize in a particular area, such as a programming language, system design or even networking solutions. Additionally, computer science teachers can teach in high schools, colleges or even technical schools, depending on their level of education and training. Most computer science teachers will earn between $55,000 and $90,00 per year depending on the type of school, location and level of education they have completed.

Applications Programmer

An applications programmer uses a variety of programming languages in order to write the source code necessary to create a specific piece of software. Applications programmers typically work together with others in a team environment to develop software of all kinds. Many of the programs developed by an applications programmer can be found in games used on cellphones and other mobile devices. An applications programmer can earn between $80,000 and $100,000 per year, depending on certifications, experience and geographic location.

Network Manager

A network manager is responsible for designing and implementing networks within an organization, as well as between various organizations. Additionally, a network manager must be able to administer all aspects of the network in order to keep it functioning properly.The ability to be able to assess the network needs of a client is crucial, as is the ability to implement the necessary network configuration in order to meet the client’s needs. A network manager can typically receive a starting salary between $40,000 and $80,000 per year.

Author Bio
William Stevens is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to technology. In this article, he describes a few interesting computer science career opportunities and aims to encourage further study with a masters in database administration.

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Perks, you see, are often viewed by employers as a smart alternative to small wage increases. For example: If you have a full-time employee that earns $45,000 a year, offering them a 4% wage increase for the year amounts to $1,800. Yet this is only a $1 per hour increase….and a lot of employees feel like a paltry $80 every two weeks isn’t much of a raise. In fact, some employees feel insulted by such a small sum.

As a result, managers sometimes feel that they’re better off NOT offering a raise because it will be perceived as too small (as counter-intuitive as that may seem).

The point? Experienced managers understand the perceived value of a good perk is often higher than perceived value of a small wage increase. If they offer someone an extra dollar an hour, they might be upset; Offer this same person a company-paid gym membership and a couple of extra vacation days, however, and they might be genuinely grateful.
Therefore, if you can’t talk your boss into a nice wage increase, ask for perks. Here are some ideas:

1. Company-paid cell phones. Cell phones are ubiquitous, as their value as a productivity tool is incredible. When your boss or a coworker needs something on an evening or weekend, they never hesitate to call your cell phone, does they?

Therefore, ask your employer to provide a phone and/or reimburse your monthly bill as a business expense. A reimbursement for your monthly cell phone bill puts some real money in your pocket, while your employer will likely view it as a small operating expense.

2. Company provided computer equipment. You can pay $499 out of your own pocket for a shiny new iPad, or you can ask your employer to provide you with an iPad for your exclusive use. Other than the fact that you’ll have to give this iPad back to the company when you leave, you’re basically getting a personal tablet for free.

Your employer, on the other hand, just has to re-allocate some funds that were already designated for computer equipment. It might not even effect your department’s budget, which means your boss is very inclined to say yes.

3. A company car, or the use of a company vehicle on weekdays. Driving your own car to and from work costs money, sometimes quite a bit of money depending on what you drive and how far you have to commute. Asking for a company provided vehicle – or the use of an existing company vehicle on weekdays – can save you hundreds of dollars a year in gasoline and maintenance costs, not to mention reduced wear and tear.

In many countries – including my native Australia – company provided vehicles are a standard perk. Employers like the fact that they can provide their employees with a nice perk using pre tax dollars (company vehicles are a pre tax expense), while employees appreciate the fact that their personal vehicles last much longer without all that traveling to and from the office.

4. Extra vacation days. Depending on your company, this particular perk can be very easy to negotiate or almost impossible to negotiate (some corporations have very strict policies about vacation). Still, it’s worth asking for an extra week of vacation if you can’t get a decent raise.

When you ask for extra vacation days, it might help to talk about the fact that time off helps you recharge. If you can talk about how productive you were after you came back from your last vacation, (and if your supervisor remembers that time as well), getting extra vacation time might be very easy.

5. Reimbursement for gym and diet expenses. While this might seem like an odd thing to ask for, corporate healthcare costs are sky-high. If your company can help you get healthier by paying for your gym membership and picking up the tab for your weight loss program, they’ll be money ahead in the long run.

Finally, don’t overlook the fact that you can ask for both perks and a small wage increase. If you can earn an extra dollar per hour and get your cell phone bill paid, you’ll be a couple hundred dollars a month ahead. Good luck!

Author David Lye is an Australian family man who is also an expert on novated leasing, the tool that many Australian companies use that allows their employees to lease a car with pre-tax salary. To learn more about this program, visit Fincar.com.au.

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Administrative Support Specialist

Similar to a well-run organization, the military must keep accurate records of both its personnel and operations. According to the US Department of Labor, the military has about 23,000 administrative support specialists, and requires more each year due to changes in personnel and demand fields. To work for the U.S. Military as an administrative support specialist, you would have to undergo both classroom and practical training that typically lasts between 6 and 10 weeks to learn the various office functions. Upon completing the training, you would start working under close supervision as you develop core skills that would allow you to handle difficult tasks and potentially rise to become office manager. According to College Foundation of North Carolina, fresh recruits earn a basic pay of $17,611 every year, but the basic pay for fresh recruits with higher education qualifications or advanced skills may be as high as $22,993 per year. In addition, all recruits get to enjoy military privileges and allowances that could potentially bump one’s annual earnings to about $26,364.

Finance and Accounting Manager

The department of defense receives the highest level of budgetary resources among all federal agencies.  As such, it requires qualified managers to manage all the billions it receives from the federal government. Currently, there are about 2,800 military finance and accounting managers who perform typical accounting tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, audit, and budgeting. On the salary front, these professionals make between $17,622 and $22,993 annually, depending on one’s level of education and skills.

Management Analysts and Planners

Management analysts and planners assist the military to make best use of its material and human resources. In addition to a 4-year college degree, you would need to undergo on-the-job training that normally involves about 10 weeks of classroom training, but the exact duration of such training may vary depending on the field of specialty. As a newly commissioned officer, your earnings would be well above the median US annual median salary, as you will start at pay grade O-1($33,396 per year basic pay), which could potentially rise to grade O-3($59,424/year) after four years of good job performance.

Personnel Manager

Of course, the U.S. Armed Forces aim to hire the best personnel and constantly encourages its employees to attain their full potential. To join the U.S. Military as a personnel manager, you need to have a 4-year college degree and be willing to attend on-the-job training that could last anywhere from five to 16 weeks. In general, a successful trainee starts working under experienced personnel managers before advancing to command positions or senior management. Depending on your skill set and academic qualifications, your annual pay will range between $17,661 and $22,993.

Purchasing and Contracting Managers

The DoD currently employs about 4,000 purchasing and contracting managers, and requires more each year due to changes in both personnel and demands on the field. To join this occupation, you would need to attend about 10 weeks of classroom training on the use of computers in supply and financial management, contract administration, and purchasing and accounting procedures. Your main task would be to make sure the military purchases are within budget requirements and meet military specifications. For doing your work, you can expect an annual basic pay package of between $17,661 and $22,993.

The aforementioned jobs are just some of the many career opportunities in the U.S. Military. In comparison to the annual average pay offered in the private sector for the same careers, the military pay is on the lower side. However, the U.S. Military caters to all its active employees basic needs including clothing, food, health care, housing, education and legal assistance and vacation.

Author Bio
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he describes a few career opportunities in the military and aims to encourage further study with a masters in American history.

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Finding out that you’re ready for a new job doesn’t have to mean an immediate change. You can take your time as you look for new options. Here are three signs that you might be ready for a new job sooner rather than later.

Dreading work on Monday morning

It’s normal for each of us to feel some trepidation about going to work now and then. If you actually, truly dread getting up and heading to work every Monday morning, however, something might be wrong. Think about what’s underlying these feelings. Do you hate your boss, do you feel like you’re wasting time at work, or do you know that you simply don’t like your job? Dreading work in the morning is normal every now and then as you end your weekend of fun and go back to spending time at the office or workplace, but it shouldn’t be a predictable raincloud that darkens every Monday, or worse yet, every single weekday.

Stuck with no room for advancement

Some jobs are simply dead-end careers. Whether your employer prefers to hire candidates from outside the staff for managerial positions or you don’t have the qualifications necessary to move into a new job position, getting stuck is not a good idea. Working for too long in one job will close off your CV and potential for exciting new jobs in the same field, and your career will feel stagnant and uninteresting. If it’s impossible to pull off even a sideways move into other departments that offer better advancement, start looking for the exit.

Want a completely new career field

It’s not uncommon to switch careers – in fact, most people do it several times in their lifetime. If you have ever heard a friend or relative talk about multiple jobs they have held in very different fields, this will be a familiar idea, but some people get stuck in the idea that they have to stay in this career. You won’t lose all of your work experience and prestige by switching fields; in fact, experience in other fields can be valuable to employers.

You don’t have to print off your resignation this second, but it’s good to have an idea of your general job satisfaction. If you’re starting to feel like it’s time to switch jobs, keep an eye open for opportunities, network, and begin the subtler stages of the job hunt. Some people prefer to be open with their employers about this, while other employers will immediately find some excuse to terminate you or treat you poorly if you are known to be hunting for another job. Use your discretion as you decide what the first stages of your job hunting process should and can involve.

Mia Hawkins works in human resources. She frequently writes about her career tips on recruitment blogs. Visit the Essential Personnel Stockport link for more job placement information.

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Regardless of whether you plan on working from home or an office, you will likely participate in a phone interview before an in-person interview. So, how do you ensure that your phone interview will lead to landing the job or that important second interview? Here are seven tips for knocking your next phone interview out of the park.

Clear the Line

You are one of hundreds of applicants. Don’t give the interviewer any reason to decide to move on to the next person in the queue. That means making sure that your phone reception is up to par. Use a landline rather than your cellphone. It might be old fashioned, but those copper wires are much more reliable than your cell phone.

Be Prepared to Interview

Preparation is everything. What would you take to an in-person interview? That is exactly what you should have on hand when the phone rings. Make sure you have a copy of your resume and a pen and paper in front of you. It does not hurt to reread your resume to remind yourself exactly what you said when you applied for the position.

Cut out the Distractions

Cut down all outside noise. Interviewers do not want to struggle to be heard over a vacuum or screaming child. Shut the door and turn off the TV before its time for your interview. Don’t give your interviewer any reason to cut the interview short.

Remember to Enunciate

Human beings hear with their eyes as well as their ears. They instinctively read lips while people are speaking. For obvious reasons, they cannot read your lips over the phone. Make sure that you are speaking clearly and distinctly during your interview. It doesn’t hurt to ask, “Can you hear me alright?” at the beginning of the interview.

Avoid Cracking Jokes

You may be renowned for your dry wit, but jokes fall flat without the nonverbal cues that let the audience know you are joking. When participating in a phone interview keep the jokes to a minimum. Save those great one liners for when you meet the interviewer in person.

Don’t Eat Lunch

Don’t eat on the phone. It’s just rude. You wouldn’t bring a sandwich to an in-person interview. You should not bring one to a phone interview. That’s not to say you cannot eat before the interview. Eating a snack beforehand can help you to maintain focus during the interview. It’s also a good idea to go ahead and use the restroom if you anticipate the interview taking a while.

Be Prepared to Ask Questions

An interview is not a one-way conversation. Yes, the interviewer will drive the conversation, but you should be prepared to ask your own questions about the position. Do not be afraid to ask about your duties, company culture, and the company’s plans for the future. Asking pertinent questions shows initiative and makes you stand out. Be careful when broaching the subject of compensation. That is better left until after you have an offer in hand.

The important thing to remember when interviewing over the phone is that it is an interview. Don’t do anything over the phone you would not do in person. If you keep that in mind, you will not have any problem avoiding costly mistakes and knocking you next phone interview out of the park.

Carol Sand is a career counselor for MAP Career Management Firm, and she offers skill assessments, resume tips, networking advice and more for job seekers in the Houston, TX area.

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1. Always Dress for Success

As they often say, clothes make the man (or woman). Before you even open your mouth, people will judge you based on your attire. An employee who wears casual clothes to work is almost always considered less capable and dedicated than one who dresses impeccably. It might not be fair, but a strict dress code says a lot about the way you approach your job. It also shows respect for your clients, bosses, coworkers, and yourself.

2. Go the Extra Mile

The main difference between the go-getter and the average employee is that the former expects to climb the corporate ladder based on hard work and ambition, rather than seniority. This is makes more sense than ever, since most modern workers change jobs several times in their careers, diminishing the importance seniority plays in advancement. As a result, the only way to keep climbing is to make yourself indispensable at work. What does this mean?

It means you should be ready and willing to take on extra work when needed. This will show your bosses and coworkers that youíre serious about your job and about being part of a team. As long as others do not take advantage of your wiliness to work, you should always be eager to take the initiative. It may just help propel you into a management position ahead of schedule.

3. Always Be Responsible

Everybody makes mistakes, and go-getters make more than most. Because they take on more responsibilities than the average employee, they will fail from time to time. If you do slip up at work, and you will, always take your fair share of the blame. Never, ever pass the buck! Bosses respect honest employees who come clean, and they cannot and will not put up with mendacious weasels who only want to save their own skin. Therefore, honesty is always the best policy at work.

4. Budget Your Time Effectively

As we mentioned, it is always a good idea to go the extra mile and help others when they ask for it, unless it interferes with your own workload. Your boss will give you extra points for being a team player, but only if you complete your assignments on time. In fact, your superior may be upset with both you and the employee you helped out if you fail to complete your own tasks on schedule.

5. Be Friendly, But Never Forget Where You Are

There’s nothing wrong with having friends at work. But bosses often form a low opinion of workers who spend too much time chatting and hanging out with their coworkers. Just like workers who dress in casual attire, superiors often consider them unprofessional, even lazy. So if you are serious about climbing the corporate later, save fraternization for after 5 P.M.

6. Behave Yourself

Once again, perception is everything in a professional environment. Workers should avoid locker room behavior, such as laughing and carrying on, cursing, using slang language, and slapping high fives. That is not how a serious employee comports himself/herself at work.

7. Don’t Show Off

Bosses like to surround themselves with capable people: employees who are not afraid to speak their minds, when asked, that is. Even if you have ideas and suggestions you’re sure will improve the company, you superiors may not want to hear them. They may, in fact, be offended that you think you know better than them. Therefore, it is often best to keep your lips zipped unless you are asked a direct question about a specific subject.

8. Speak Highly of Your Superiors, When Appropriate

There’s a big difference between complimenting your boss when he/she has earned it and being a brown-nose. Like most human beings, bosses love to praised, especially when they know the approval is sincere. As a general rule, it is best to keep these plaudits succinct and centered on work. In other words, avoid complimenting their hair or clothes and stick to actual accomplishments, such as landing a major new account.

9. Ask the Right Questions at the Right Time

Presumptuousness is not a character trait most bosses appreciate. They don’t want employees asking about promotions when they haven’t proven they can handle their current positions. Instead, superiors look for subordinates that are ready and willing to take on more responsibilities without the promise of a new job title or higher pay. To those ends, you might ask your manager, after you are secure in your position, what they would like to see you doing in the future?

10. Pay Attention to Your Peers

Most employees who successfully climb the corporate ladder are excellent observers. From the start, they keep a close eye on the people who are promoted to the level above them. They take note of their behaviors, skills, experience, and general attitude. Then they make adjustments as needed.

Martha is now cooperating with BestCustomWriting.com where it is possible to buy an essay and find useful tips and tutorials. She is an expert in articles writing, also she enjoys providing writing services and essay help.

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What Is Job Shadowing?

Job shadowing is a great way to explore different careers before committing to a specific college program or industry. It provides you with a real chance to see what your life might be like on a day-to-day basis by observing, or shadowing, a career professional in their daily work routine. Job shadowing is also a great way to meet veterans in your desired field.

How Do I Job Shadow?

If you have already started your degree program, consider reaching out to your instructors or professors to see if they have any contacts in the field. It’s nice to have a good recommendation from someone in academia. For example, if you are completing a medical assistant program, reach out to those in the college program to find a local clinic where you might be able job shadow.

If you have not yet committed to a college major, feel free to reach out to professionals directly. Just be sure to make your intentions clear. If you aren’t comfortable approaching an organization directly, contact your local college career center to see what resources they have available for new and potential students.

Now That I’ve Set Up My Job Shadow, What Do I Do?

• Always call and confirm with the organization. Make sure to be polite and courteous. Offer to reschedule if things seem chaotic.
• Research the company beforehand. Visit their website. Talk to other people who have done a similar job shadow if possible.
• Research the appropriate dress. Are you visiting a high-powered corporate office, a casual animal shelter or a medical office? Make sure to pick out an outfit that is comfortable and work appropriate.

What Should I Do During My Job Shadow?

The key to making the most of your job shadowing experience is to ask questions. Whoever you are shadowing is so used to doing their job, they might forget some key aspects of the workplace. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Some questions you could ask include:

• What do you like about your job?
• What do you hate?
• Why did you decide to enter this field?
• What kind of personality traits and skills does someone need to enter this field?
• What advice would you give rookies just starting their career?

What Do I Do After I’m Done Job Shadowing?

Make sure to maintain a good relationship with the organization where you job shadowed. Consider following up with a proper thank you letter or card. The person you shadowed went out of his or her way to help you, so it’s important to remember that. If after job shadowing you’ve decided that you have found your desired career, think about keeping in touch and following up regarding internship and job possibilities. For specialized careers that require specific vocational training, like a lot of the health care programs do, shadowing a professional already immersed in the field can be a great way to decide if you want to start the enrollment process.

About Author:
Julie Lee is a freelance writer focusing on college medical programs & career tips. Julie has recently written about medical assistant certificate programs as well as blogging about college life tips on various college blogs.

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What is the Right Attitude?

Employers want to hire people with the right attitude. Skills can be learned anytime but attitude is hard to change. Every member within an organization has different thinking skills, behavioral patterns, manner of communication and attitude. It is the job of any employer to understand the attitude of the job searching candidate and analyze whether it will be suitable for the organization.

If you are looking for a new job, you need to cultivate a positive approach and improve your chances of getting hired in the next interview. Here are some ways to go about it.

1.     Have a Positive Vocabulary

Take a look at this question answer pattern.

Question: Why did you leave the last job?

Answer: I am not sure. I just felt like quitting.

Again,

Question: What skills and experience will you bring to our company?

Answer: I am not sure now. Let’s see.

Aren’t the answers elusive? Do they sound even remotely convincing? Is the vocabulary and mode of expression positive?

The answer is a big “no” on all counts. This behaviour reeks of negative attitude. You won’t ever get hired if you answer like the examples above. You need to have articulation skills and ability to communicate clearly. There are no books to teach this attitude. You need to inculcate it through self assessment and practice.

2.     Don’t Show a Self Defeatist Attitude

For some job seekers, it takes weeks and months to get a job. It is perfectly natural to display a self defeatist attitude. If you are making statements like:

• “I never get called for second round of interviews”.
• “I never get follow-up calls”.
• “No one calls me for interview.”

These are defeatist statements, implying that you have already given up and ready to wallow in self pity. While occasional moments of self pity are fine, a continued self defeatist attitude becomes the breeding ground for negativity and colors your perception towards job search.

Searching for jobs in India is sometime stressful. It drains finances and builds stress but your attitude is something you can control and therefore, never have a self defeatist attitude. Sooner or later, it will begin to reflect in your overall body language and manner of communication. As a result, you will lose any further chances of getting hired.

Keep negativity at bay.

3.     Never Procrastinate

Procrastination is an attitude that severely impacts not only your chances of employability but every other aspect of existence. Like the famous last word of Shakespeare’s Hamlet “to be or not to be” is the ultimate question, you cannot afford procrastinating efforts and determination towards getting a job.

Repeated failure to get a job will cloud your attitude and make you give yourself reasons to delay things such as applying for more jobs, following up on job leads and channelizing network connections. This is also one of the reasons why people tend to become narrow minded and fail to realize opportunities coming their way from unexpected sources.

Instead, you should open up your mind and search for new possibilities. For example, you can think of getting into a new field if you have skills, talking with previous colleagues and asking for references, and more.

The point is not to let go efforts and maintain a positive attitude for physical and mental well being.

In all, positive and negative disposition matter a lot in the employment sector.  You need to have a positive attitude, good communication skills and a lot of willpower.

Author’s Bio
Diksha is a social media examiner and freelance writer. she enjoys sharing information about employment and career related needs with students as well as her readers. She loves to write and exploring on various options of higher education in India and abroad, jobs and career in different field.You can find her on Linkedin and Google+

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Much like preconceptions about community college education, there is quite a bit of stigma attached to online degrees. Though there may be positive change on the horizon for online degrees, there are still many decrying their woes – having spent ample money and time achieving one only to find it is not well received when they are seeking employment. Some employers reject online degrees outright while many others look for at least the stamp of a reputable institution.

At the same time, the rate of students enrolling in online courses is significantly higher than the rate increase of those enrolling on campus. Certainly, there is a rising demand for quality education online that is respected by employers and students alike. However, the cost and resulting value in online degrees is still murky water to be treaded carefully.

The Bad News

The allure of online study needs little explaining. Employment is a necessity. Life also tends to sweep us all into obligations outside our career. For many, on-campus education is not practical. Unfortunately, there are online universities that take advantage of this imposition for their own profit (and online degrees do not often come cheap). As such, the convenience of adapting a curriculum into your schedule is not the main criteria upon which one should judge an online program under their consideration however hard online universities may drive that selling point.

When considering an online program, look closely into the following:

• General Reputation – a school may be well known for online degrees, but ones that are also attended at a campus tend to have a better reputation. However, even online schools that have a campus have been rated poorly by students and employers. Make sure to do your research and get a feel for public opinion of the institution. Ideally, contact prospective employers to get their opinion. If you have an idea of what employers you would like to work for, you can get an idea of how your degree will look to them before you plunge into a program.
• Accreditation – according to the Department of Education, accreditation is a priority concern when looking into online education. However, even universities that have touted their regional accreditation in the past have recently come under intense scrutiny with accreditors after creating an abundance of defaulted student loans in the US in recent years. These credentials have to be especially scrutinized by prospective students.
• Easier or too easy? – If students report breezing through their studies to get their degree, the school is probably not providing degrees of much value. Also, if enrollment is an open invitation with money being the only requirement, you may simply be buying yourself a check in the “has a degree” box. Really, the only thing that should be easier about an online degree is being able to learn and complete course work from wherever you are. Unfortunately, you can’t learn everything for most jobs from a book, so a proper online course should implement some kind of involvement in your community in addition to fluid communication with class peers and professors.

The Good News

The US’ recession of recent years created a demand for higher education in which for-profit schools reaped heaps of government money while providing education of questionable value with negligible return on investment for students. If anything good has come out of this, it is recognition of a much more positive opportunity to be profitable by providing online education that is as good as (or better than) its on-campus counterpart.

According to research conducted by Babson, “Over 6.1 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2010 term, an increase of 560,000 students over the previous year.” With this, the growth rate of online enrollment was at a steady 10% next to the 2% of overall higher education enrollment and online learning is part of the long term strategy of the majority of higher learning institutions.

The benefit of this shifting focus may have yet to become clear, but forward thinking companies are already driving to lead the way. 2U is one such company that has been partnering with quality on-campus schools to develop online education platforms that fully utilize social technology while helping to place students in supplemental learning that requires being physically present. One of the first schools partnered with 2U reported that over 90% of its online students had acquired jobs in their field or were continuing into a graduate degree within nine months of graduation.

Mobile and social technologies have been revolutionary in recent years, transforming not only the way we keep in touch with friends and family, but also the way we learn and do business. It stands to reason that higher education will have a more prominent foothold online in the coming years than it has in the past. As online offerings improve in options and quality over the years, we can also hope they will be more moderately priced while still providing the quality education we need. For now, the high cost of online degrees next to slowly changing stigma means that finding the right balance will require sorting through a lot of chaff.

Hank Barton is a second generation trucker and writer in pursuit of education in his cab when he is not behind the wheel. He writes for E-Gears, an online CDL Test authority that specializes in a variety of study guides.

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