Build a Better Resume with an Online Degree

Your resume is a record of your knowledge and experience, used by prospective employers as a snapshot: are they interested in you? Do they want to talk to you? Could you be a good fit in their organization? The resume needs to tell a story about where you’ve worked and for how long, what you’ve accomplished, how you’ve advanced, and what you know. It’s the “what you know” part that can be difficult to quantify. The quickest and clearest way to do so is by being able to list a degree in a pertinent area of study.

Tell Them What You Know

This is where an online degree can make a significant difference. Knowledge gained on the job is hugely valuable, but difficult to prove as a job seeker. Subjects studied in college, if they haven’t led to a certificate or degree, can be listed but don’t necessarily demonstrate mastery. But an online degree works as shorthand on a resume-it signifies knowledge successfully gained. And, in the ever-more-automated world of recruiting and talent acquisition, resume screening systems are much more likely to flag your CV if it includes a degree in a relevant field.

If you were a small business owner hiring an office manager, wouldn’t you be more inclined to interview the person with a Bachelor’s Degree in Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship? What if your mid-size company needed help with its technology infrastructure-wouldn’t you be interested in the resume with the Bachelor of Science in IT, Network Management? These, and hundreds of other degrees, can be earned online, at your own pace and according to your schedule. It’s an ideal solution for working people, parents, military personnel and others who are seeking to move forward in their careers while juggling the responsibilities of their busy lives.

What’s It Worth?

Of course, the real value of an education is the learning that’s gone on in the earning of your online degree. But don’t discount the persuasive power of a degree listed on your resume. It can open doors, and it may serve as a negotiating tool if the discussion turns to title and salary. At the very least, an online degree on your resume says “this is my area of expertise, and this degree proves it.”