Seeking Advice on Resumes

Hello fellow DL friends,

I'm seeking advice on how to indicate my current student status on a resume. I am presently enrolled in Ellis College of NYIT's MBA program w/ concentration in Management of Technology. I am schedule to finish in October of this year.

Is it advantageous to indicate that I am currently a student of NYIT even though I live in York, PA? This will undoubtedly imply that I am an "online student."

Or should I only include my bachelor's degree?

The company is a headhunting company and the positiion is for IT Manager. I am currently an IT Manager for a healthcare provider looking to expand my options and grow my career.

The new position says there is "high visibility with senior management with excellent potential.

Your comments are greatly appreciated!

Q_c

 

If you plan to someday list your MBA degree on your resume then why would you now be ashamed to note that you are in that process?

 

I don't think it was a quesion of shame in this post.

Just concern that he/she would be singled out for being a DL studnt.

I understand the concern. Fact is, there is some discrimination out there concering DL education.

To answer the poster's question, I don't know. It is somewhat of a tough one. I would rather take the chance of being discriminated against for going for a DL degree rather than risking the chance of zero recognition for goping after a graduate degree.

That's just me though.

 

I am not ashamed of it at all. I'm just wondering if it is advantageous for me to include it or not. I am leaning towards including it for several reasons:

1. Showing I am interested in advancing my career in management (and higher) while working full time.

2. Informing of the degree might put me at better chances due to having a broad understanding of business principles and technology.

3. Possibly able to negotiate a slightly higher salary.

The only drawback I see is if they look down on DL. However, an MBA is not a requirement. But they might see me as someone with potential benefit for the firm. This is a fortune 1000 company. Not the greatest but alot bigger than my current employer and I'd like to do what is best.

I'm almost sure I will include it but was just looking for more insights, advice, or opinions.

Thank you for posting!

 

My resume denotes in the Education section that I am completing a BA as follows:

Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
Thomas Edison State College
Status: Senior Year
Completing remaining credits via distance education

That is listed in addition to my college diploma.

So far there has been no discrimination in terms of questions about the BA entry.

 

Many executive recruiters advise against listing degrees in progress on a resume. Many employers do not give any value to someone that is in the process of earning a degree.

Very few people start a degree with the intention of not completing the program. Despite this, many people do not complete degree programs. In fact, many of us on this board have started and not finished a degree (or finished many, many years later). I know the question was regarding the perceived value of a DL degree. Since it will probably not help you to have it on the resume, why raise any questions by listing a degree that has not been completed?

Leave it off the resume.

 

I would list the degree with your expected completion date. Online programs are becoming much more common, especially in a field such as IT.

 

I agree with all of this unless you are in your last semester/term/quarter(or whatever your school so chooses to call it). Then I would indicate as such on my resume because the reality is by then most people who are looking for a new position are out there peddling themselves so you need to be too. Also in the last semester,term,et al. the chances are better than most that you will complete your studies!

 

I would list it as-

MBA - NYIT / Ellis College - expect graduation date 10/2006

I would not list "on line" Why should you?

 

Yes, I was thinking the same.


Abner

 

I tend to agree.

If your education is the same, why put distance or online on your resume?

What would purpose would that serve. Do YOU think the education is "less" because you're doing it online? Of course not! You my friend are just another college student, like everyone else.

I guess if you were a traditional student, that would be like putting the following statement on your resume:

Bachelor of Arts in Business Management
University of Sounthern California
Status: Senior Year
Completing remaining credits via "physically sitting in a class room".

Your education is the same, aye!!

IMHO of course....

Good Luck

 

For the reasons I listed in a previous post, leave the incomplete degree off your resume. You will have time during the interview to discuss your future education.

If you insist on listing the unfinished degree, I would make a note that you are completing the degree via distance education. Since you live in PA and "attend" school in NY, you will have to explain your situation eventually. You won't be able to avoid the explanation if you get an interview. Be upfront and answer the question before it is asked.

 

I agree

I listed my in-progress degree like this during the last year of my MBA program and I do believe it helped me get an internal promotion to the job I have now.

Even if you ended up not finishing, just the act of taking classes indicates IMHO that you are interested in improving yourself and that you are not static. I consider myself a "lifelong learner" and going back for an MBA is proof of that.

And I would not list it as DL. The best way to handle that is in the interview.

Best of luck to you!

 

I tend to disagree. It should not make a difference and adding an explaination would raise more questions and appear to be defensive. If I was taking MBA classes at the University of Florida (2 hours away) would I list "online" when I could be taking the weekend program or would I list "I am driving there every Tuesday and Thursday after work which I leave early those days because I want to beat the traffic in Tampa".

I have been looking at a lot of resumes and don't really give it a second though when people list degree in progress with respect to location. If a hiring manager cannot figure out that legit degrees can be earn online, they should not be in a hiring position and you may not want to work for them.

 

I got a job once, in large part because I had listed my *soon to be completed* B.S. degree. Since I didn't have the minimum educational requirements, it opened a dialog and I could tell them I was (x) number of courses from being finished.

I would list it.

 

Re: I agree

Personally I have always listed ongoing educational endeavors on my resume/CV.
When I first went back to education (evening classes at a local college) I had started in August and it was going to take me 3 years to complete that program. 2 months after I started I applied for a job with a different organization and listed my recently started studies on the Application. I put the start date, institution and qualification, and listed it as ongoing. At the interview I explained that it was evening classes and that I had a long way to go, but I think just having that on my resume got my foot in the door, and I was then able to give more details at the interview.

I agree with mbaonline - providing the information on continuing part time classes on your resume while working full time shows potential employers that you are committed to ongoing self improvement and can manage time well.

quest_chun - good luck at the interview !!!!

 

For what it's worth I was denied an interview for a promotion where I work because I do not have a BS. My co-worker got an interview and I just heard today the job, because he listed on his resume that he was in the senior year of his BS. We both have AAS's and about the same amount of ch's toward our BS's. 120K per year hourly energy trading job. I would list it.

 

thanks!

I appreciate everyone's advice! I guess it is really a tough question. However, I have decided to include my current online studies. My employer is paying half of my online education. If the company I'm applying for is not progressive enough to value a DL degree, then I don't think I want to work with them; especially being in the IT field. My interview is tomorrow morning!

Sincerely,
Q_c

 

The reason I used the notation stating completion of coursework via distance education is simply due to the location of the potential employment not being in the same state as the school. An employer/recruiter might Google the name of the school and see it is in New Jersey while the position they are advertising is in Ohio.

But you point is valid overall. The expected graduation date lets the recruiter know you intend to complete it relatively soon. This assumes the recruiter can match the employment dates and education dates on your resume.