Ten Tips to Enhance the Marketability of Your Online Degree

The marketability of an online degree is highly dependent on what experience you as a potential employee can bring to the table. Here are some tips to enhance the overall marketability of your online degree.

Pick a needed specialty - there are degrees, and then there are degrees. Choose a degree that is relevant to a profession in high demand now or likely to be in high demand in the future.

Obtain top grades. In any degree program, traditional or online, grades do matter. A high GPA will get your through the initial screening process, and may even land you an interview where your other skills can shine.

Get an optional focus or a minor when earning your online degree. Setting a few credit hours aside to get a minor in a supporting specialty or to focus your studies on one aspect of the field can set you apart.

Talk to professors in your chosen field. Call them, email them, visit them if possible. Getting an academic recommendation from a professor can really set your employment application apart.

Volunteer in the industry. In a competitive job market, employers like to see experience in a field. Demonstrating that you have both the degree and a certain amount of related experience will make you a highly attractive candidate.

Get an internship. Paid or unpaid, internships are a step up from volunteer work - usually an interview is involved and a professional assessment after completion. Interns are often hired when positions come open.

Join a club. Many industries have clubs and professional associations that cater to industry members. Join one, even if it charges a fee, and begin building your contacts.

Get published. Write an essay or product review or an industry trend analysis and submit it to magazines, newsletters, even forums used by industry members in order to get your name out there.

Fund a school project. While funds may be tight, even by donating money or supplies to a local elementary school can get your name out there and help drive contacts.

Attend industry conferences. Many of these conferences will feature a group brunch session where you can talk to potential employers and hand out your business card.