By Brandon D. Buttars | Submitted On December 15, 2010
Going back to school is a great way for people to get the degree they need to find a new career or advance the one they already have, but many balk at the idea of attending traditional colleges due to its inconvenience. Luckily, online colleges have been gaining in popularity lately, allowing students to attend school at their own pace from the comfort of their home. An online college education has enabled many people to go back to school and get the credentials and training they need and desire.
If you are in a similar situation and are on the fence about attending an online college, here are the top 10 ways online college can help you advance your career. Hopefully after reading these benefits you'll be motivated to find an online school of your own.
1. Earn Degrees and Certificates. This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of going back to online schools. Having the certification or degree that you need is often the gateway into the jobs and positions you want. Even if you have the skills and the experience, if you don't have the piece of paper you need, it won't matter.
2. Get Promoted. Many individuals are in line to move up through the ranks, only to be held back by lack of credentials. These people can take some online courses from an online school and earn that degree necessary to get the promotion they deserve. With that promotion will come plenty of benefits, all thanks to an online college education.
3. Increase Earning Potential. If you get a better job or better position due to your degree, you'll often get a raise to go with it. In addition, any new skills or abilities that you gain from online college courses will increase your value to your company, and as your value increases, so does your salary.
4. Get a Better Career. Many people go back to online schools not simply to move up in their current job but actually to start-up a new career path. Getting an online degree is the perfect way for individuals to break in to a new field, short of putting in years of dues in lower positions. Online courses will best prepare students with the skills and aptitudes they need to succeed and move up in their new career path.
5. Earn Respect. People who have graduated from college are automatically afforded more respect than those who do not. This may seem unfair, but it's the way it is. This is why it's so important to complete online college courses to get the credentials you need.
6. Gain Confidence. If you are equipped with a fresh degree, you'll have more confidence to complete in your chosen career path. You know that you've completed the online course of study that you needed to, and you'll be able to interact with other graduates more as an equal.
7. Make Connections. College is a great place to meet other students, professionals, and professors who can help you in your future endeavors. Networking is such a huge aspect of any business, so having a good group of contacts and support can be the difference between success and huge success. Online colleges offer you built in opportunities to meet other people in your field, even if those meetings are virtual.
8. Increase your skills and knowledge. When you complete an online course, you'll not only have the degrees and credentials, but also the knowledge and skills that you gained. You can use these to better your position at work, start your own business, and improve your performance and productivity overall.
9. Improve Communication skills. In college you'll practice your written and verbal communication. Many people struggle to communicate their ideas, especially in writing, mostly because they don't have the opportunity to practice. You'll get this opportunity if you go to an online school. These skills will benefit you greatly when you embark on the next chapter of your career, as they are foundational skills for success.
10. Improve Self-discipline. In order to complete school while juggling work and family responsibilities, you'll have to practice excellent time management skills. You'll also get better at setting goals and working towards them. These skills won't go away just because you graduated; in fact, they'll be of great value to you in the next stages of your life.
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