As much of the world has moved online, so has education. The rise of remote working and study during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to more and more people choosing to advance their careers through online degrees and modules. But why might studying online give you an upper hand when it comes to finding that ideal job and building a worthwhile career?
You’re on the market quicker
Many online degrees and other courses allow you to take accelerated versions of qualifications you would traditionally study for in-person. This effectively means you can expect to fit a few years of study into a very short space of time. If you have time and flexibility to accommodate such learning, you’ll hit the ground running in a new job much quicker.
Though there are naturally no guarantees as to which roles you’ll get from online courses, you can at least save a few years of study to actively get your foot in the door.
You can specialize however you wish
When researching online degrees, you may find that there is a broader selection of niches and topics than what you may expect at traditional in-person universities. For example, an online master’s in marketing from a provider such as Emerson College may arrive with a handful of extra modules and study points that traditional establishments would otherwise miss out on.
Online courses are broadly available, and there’s often no need to wait for a course to fill up before you can take it, regardless of the niche you choose.
You can gain work experience as you study
One of the more publicized benefits of online learning is the fact that you can learn while you work for a living. You effectively manage your own timetable, meaning that if you have your own comfortable home office or are taking shifts elsewhere, you can keep earning and developing in different ways as you gain knowledge.
If you want to advance in your chosen career at a faster pace, it may even be possible for you to get work experience in your field while you pursue your studies. This way, you’re ensuring you build up volunteer time while gaining hands-on experience. Both this and the knowledge you’re attaining will put you in a lucrative position for employment opportunities yet to come.
You’ll develop fantastic skills
When taking an online course, you won’t just expect to learn more about your specific industry or niche. You can also expect to develop time management and organizational skills that will help you in the years to come. Showing a prospective employer that you’ve graduated from an online discipline while gaining physical work experience elsewhere will speak volumes about your dedication, organizational skills and willingness to succeed.
As it stands, in-person learning will continue to grow in popularity alongside online education. However, for many people, the latter provides a flexible, accessible way to grow and develop while building a life alongside. In the right circumstances, you may even find online courses help you ascend the career ladder quicker than expected.
