Hi. I have gone to interviews and have listed the degrees that I have earned. Three of them being regionally accredited and one being nationally accredited. I have completed some of my degrees through attending classes at college. Others, I have earned non-traditionally though Online Education or through Distance Learning (Independent Study). The problem that I have experienced is that the person who is interviewing me will ask how did you obtain this degree, because it happens to be close to the time that I graduated with my other degree from my local area. I tell them that I completed the course via the Internet (Online). However, they look at me funny, and seem as though, they're not interested in my candidacy because of this answer. I mention to them that the schools are accredited, and that the work load is just as hard as that of a traditional school, Brick and Morter. My question is have any of you experienced the same treatment? If so, how have you been able to overcome it? I guess there is always going to be bias in certain situations. However, maybe someone has some input that they can give to this type of topic. Thanks.
I have one or two suggestions. First, however, I'd like to say that I think you're probably correct in your assessment that this will be a bias in many situations and for the foreseeable future. My suggestions: 1) Polish your answers to the predictable questions. It may be unfair (and inaccurate) of me to say this but it seems that whatever you're saying is not working. 2) Create a one page written summary related to online or DL degrees. This might include subjects such as accreditation, rigor, motivation, etc. Submit this with your resume or at the time of the interview (I'd suggest the former). 3) I'd also like to see a thread started regarding, "What do you say when..." related to interview situations where the interviewer seems biased against DL degrees. This is such a common problem, there could be an archive of responses. Good luck in your future interviews, Jack
Is your thought that they aren't interested after hearing how you obtained your degree because of something they have said, or just the look on their face? I ask this only because it may just be that they are surprised, but not necessarily disinterested. Also, to immediately begin an explanation of accreditation, work loads, and rigor sounds defensive. What they may be wondering about is not your distance degree itself, but your sudden need to defend yourself. When they get that odd look why not just ask them if they have any questions about your distance degree? Inviting them to ask you questions not only puts the ball back in their court but also allows you to be rightfully confident of all the degrees you earned, however you earned them, instead of reacting defensively to what you perceive as a funny look on someone's face. Kit
reply Please let us know what you think. Does anyone else have any opinions? I do agree that if you can turn the answers to positive and get a little more feedback, that this might help.
I believe that I understand your point and, clearly, I can't say you're wrong. It would be impossible to predict with certainty how an interviewer will react in such a situation. I suppose that if I was going into an interview with a UMass MBA on my resume (earned entirely online), I might be less concerned that questions would be raised. After all, it's a local school, a known commodity and offers classroom based degrees as well. I might take the chance that I'd slip in under the radar without the interviewer even guessing it was an online degree. If, however, I had a degree from a non-US school while living and working in the US, or a California university while living in Connecticut, then I'd say that it would be reasonable to expect that questions would be asked and have prepared answers for those questions. Anticipating potential problems and preparing proactive solutions is, to me, just smart, not defensive. Jack
Absolutely. It's just the impression I got was that Philosophy was offering the information regarding accreditation and rigor before being asked, in response not to actual questions but in reaction to an odd look. That was what I thought could be interpreted (by an interviewer) as defensive. It's certainly not defensive to prepare answers to possible questions though, just also wise not to jump the gun with those answers until the questions are asked. Kit
Never. I would not want a job where someone with that kind of ignorance was put in charge of making decisions. I was in Massachusetts when I completed my USNY degrees (except the BA, when I was in California). I was in Texas when I finished my National U. MBA. I was in Virginia when I completed my UIU Ph.D. No one has ever asked. I don't put on my resume the dates I earned my degrees, which might help.
Hi, Philosophy. Just going from what you wrote, I suspect that the problem you are encountering is less one of DL-prejudice than a skepticism about quick degrees. If you earned two degrees around the same time, it looks to your interviewer like you earned the second one in four weeks. That sets off alarm bells. Then when you say "internet", the interviewer immediately thinks "degree-mill" and you receive your sneer. So I'd suggest that you need to attend to the interviewer's actual question, which was about how you earned a degree in such a short time. That's not really a question about DL at all. Whether or not you were physically remote from your university is almost irrelevant. So you need to say that you were working on both degrees simultaneously, or give whatever other explanation exists for the short time interval.
