Online degrees offer specialization in almost any subject you can imagine. Picking the right one for your career, then, can be difficult. Where would you even start to look? The best degrees are the ones that offer you highly specialized skills that give you an edge over others in the workforce. As there are not many who can do what you do, you can push for higher wages and a more prestigious position in the company – whether that is the company you work for now, or a new company doesn’t matter.

 

Online degrees are particularly effective when you are working towards a Masters distinction.

Bachelors don’t work quite as well because most adults today are young, and need the environment in order to develop their independence as well as their skills. Bachelor’s also take much longer to achieve and therefore are best done on a full-time level.

 

PhDs also don’t work quite as well online, due to the high level of detail and self-study you will need to undertake that can contradict a career.

Masters, on the other hand, are perfect. You can further your career, specialize your skills, and work on a part-time basis. You can finish your degree in as little as a year with the right dedication, but if you need longer, then that is fine. The important part of an online degree is that it allows you to work on your schedule so that you can juggle a degree and a full-time, high-profile career all at once.

So, if you are looking into specializing your skills, look no further. This guide will give you the complete overview of how you can choose the best maters, and successfully juggle a full plate.

 

How to Choose the Right Online Degree for Your Career

 

The first step to completing an online degree is to find the perfect one that will advance your career.

 

Spend Five Years in Your Chosen Career

 

Though you can start a Masters right after you have finished your Bachelors, the best course of action is to wait. Five years is a reasonable amount of time to work in your industry so that you know which career path you want to take and what skills you will need to achieve your goals.

 

Find a Practical-Based Online Degree

 

When obtaining a Masters for the sake of furthering your career, you need to ensure that it is practical-based. Theory is great if you are looking to advance your career as a researcher or academic, but if you work in the field or on the ground, theory can only take you so far. You need to know how to apply theory directly to your work.

You will also want to choose a degree that offers a unique specialization. This will give you an edge over other applicants for more advanced positions. You could earn a Masters in Lean Manufacturing online from Kettering University, for example, and have the ability to flaunt a one-of-a-kind degree and the skills and knowledge it entails. With it, you will be able to learn the six sigma skills and can even customize it further with certificates.

 

Choose a Degree that Can Be Customized

 

Always choose a degree that can be further customized. In the previous example, you would be able to specialize further by obtaining a certificate in:

 

• Global leadership
• Healthcare management
• Operations management
• Supply chain management level I
• Supply chain management level II

 

By choosing a degree that can be customized in this way, you are guaranteed to learn the skills and theory that will propel your career, and not someone else’s.

 

Decide on the Degree Designed by Academics and Industry Professionals

 

If possible, choose a degree that has been designed in conjunction with industry professionals as well as academics. This is how you will get the dual focus on theory and practical application.

 

How to Manage Studying and a Career

 

Once you have chosen a great degree, it is up to you to succeed at managing a career with your education.

 

1. Be consistent with healthy routines.
2. Read at the same times every day.
3. Study and work on your degree after work for a few hours every day.
4. Create detailed notes and review them regularly.

 

Put Your Degree to Good Work

 

From day one, you can put what you learn towards your career.

 

Apply it to your Job

 

If you learn of innovative and creative strategies, put them to work. The best way to solidify what you have learned is to reaffirm it with practical application. You can even work out the kinks and figure out how to mold the strategy outlined in your degree for your company. This way, you can learn not just the skills, but how to cater them to specific situations.

 

You will want to be more vocal with your suggestions and remember never to be afraid when claiming an idea. Try to get it in writing so that there is never any contention as to who gets credit because when it comes to your career, you should be prepared to step on a few toes.

 

Become a Thought Leader

 

Another great way to put what you have learned towards your career is to step away from the company you work for and to start building up your own personal reputation. By creating digital resources on your website and on social media, you can build a community within your industry. Create valuable resources, and people will quote you, credit you, and use your work as examples. This, in turn, will boost your name in Google and create a very healthy and very laudable digital reputation that will get you headhunted.

 

Furthering your career by going back to school is a great strategy, and by being very selective with which degree you go with, you can ensure it will provide the most benefit towards your goals. Follow up with strong routines so that you stay on track, and put what you know to good use so that you can further your career in more than one way.

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July 31, 2019