There is no question that attending college online has a number of advantages. Whether it’s going to class in your own home or avoiding the stress of traveling to campus, there’s something about getting a degree online that appeals to each student. Most importantly, an online education will help you with career advancement as you begin to climb in your industry.
Going to school while maintaining a job may seem like a heavy task, but taking online courses while advancing your professional career will help you with both your education and your career.
It’s no secret that many professions require applicants to have some kind of work experience. Experience comes in a variety of different ways. Even if the work comes as an unpaid internship, experience will be what gives you an advantage over the competition.
How does an online education play into all of this? Simple. The flexibility of earning your degree online will give you the freedom to take the entry-level job, or the internship that will lay the foundation for the knowledge you need to break into the field without interfering with your schedule.
As you gain professional experience, you will be able to apply what you learn on site to the lessons you learn online. This will help strengthen what you learn on the job site. The classes online will help your knowledge of the job in the same way. As you become more involved with the job, the classes offer structure and context to the work.
Getting your degree online will also help by giving you the freedom to use more of your time to focus on beginning your career. Traditional classes usually take up a lot of daylight hours. Students who are in classrooms during the day aren’t given the same opportunity to gain more of the experience needed for career advancement while earning their degree.
Having this work experience while getting your degree will slingshot you to a higher position directly after earning your degree. Obtaining relevant work experience while taking classes eliminates years of climbing the ladder to your dream job, putting it more within reach right after graduation. The quality of knowledge gained from the job and the education to support it will make you better prepared for the next level of your career.
When prospective employers see your experience accompanied by a university education, they’ll see a candidate who is not only prepared, but willing and able to stay current with the constantly evolving knowledge required to thrive in your job field. Give yourself a head start, and take years off your climb to the top with an online education.
The University of Southern Mississippi offers more than 50 online graduate and undergrad programs for students earning their degree or certification while establishing themselves in their career fields. For more information about online programs visit our programs page or complete the form below.
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