Should You Mention in Your Resume That You Earned Your Degree Online?

Online education is no more a futuristic concept; it’s the hard reality, the present. These, almost all the reputable colleges offer their courses through distance learning. Therefore, you should not mention in your resume or cover letter that you earned your degree online. You should only reveal the fact once you are asked during a recruitment interview. If the interviewer asks why you chose online education despite the fact that there are hundreds of on-campus courses as well, you can explain them how online degrees cultivate great discipline and skills or put some light on how you planned to advance you career when you picked up an online learning program. You should not worry as more and more employers are keeping faith in educated and skilled workforce who graduated from accredited online colleges and universities.

Employers these days are not concerned about whether the applicants hold online or on-campus degrees. They evaluate the accreditation status of the universities and the accreditation status of the degree conferred as well. It is recommended, therefore, to check the accreditation status of the college and degree both before applying. Employers also check reputation of the college and the big names such as Berkeley College Online or Liberty University Online always put a big impression. If the online college you attended is well-known and your employer has heard its name (in a good sense) quite a few times, you will surely get that extra edge in the interview.

Here’s how you can check accreditation of a college from US Dept. of Education website.

However, it is important to choose an online college which has a campus as well. Purely online colleges are not regarded high by the employers in general. If you assess online education from a broader aspect, this new trend of education is nothing but a continuation of traditional education. Colleges that have no campuses are not trusted by the employer fraternity. It is true that online education is unique, futuristic and far more advantageous if compared to its on-campus equivalent. But it is at the same time true that the colleges that have no brick-and-mortar presence are not trusted by most of the employers. Besides, there are also some administrative issues that are not properly dealt with purely online college authorities.

You should find and pursue an accredited course only. And yes, you need not mention that in your CV. As long as it is an accredited course, it’s not a matter of concern for the employers.