How Employers Treat Jobseekers who have completed online learning
Online learning has many advantages over traditional education: you don’t have to travel anywhere, you can adjust your timetable, etc. But what if a person has only taken online courses and wants to get a job? We asked experts what they think about online education and about applicants who choose courses from scratch or completely change their profession online.
In the last year or two, the number of applicants with a note about online training has increased dramatically. After all, the advantages for applicants are obvious: convenient training times, variety of courses, savings in travel time, optimal cost of courses, availability of materials in online format, the possibility of choosing teachers from the professional community.
Online learning is becoming a hot trend. In addition to accredited and certified training centres with a high level of material preparation (a balance of quality and cost, as well as theory and practice), we note that online training is also carried out by specialists who share their experience and give real cases and do their analysis.
How HR professionals assess jobseekers after courses for adults
Sometimes students’ knowledge without online training and with online training differ in terms of structured answers, confidence in presentation. Sometimes, on the contrary, having taken a webinar from a self-taught trainer, knowledge can be distorted or misinterpreted as there was no handout. However, such professionals are more likely to talk about current trends, technology, they are also distinguished by the variety of past courses and unreasonably high expectations. They assume that their value will rise in the job market only through online learning. Alas, we change their minds.
HR is interested in experienced employees who choose online training more consciously, fitting it to their current tasks, their professional development or consolidation of experience. They purposefully improve themselves and hone their skills. Experienced employees not only undergo online training at the company’s expense, but are also willing to invest in themselves.
In order to improve competitiveness on the labour market, professionals of all levels and specialisations must constantly improve their theoretical knowledge and acquire and polish the skills they have already acquired. By completing professional development courses, a person’s value as a professional increases: not only can he or she keep up to date with current developments, but he or she can also apply for promotion.
How effective is online learning?
On average, students memorise 25-60% more material when studying online compared to 8-10% in the classroom. This is mainly because students can learn faster online; E-learning requires 40-60% less learning time than a traditional classroom because students can learn at their own pace, going back and rereading, skipping or speeding up concepts as they choose.
Whether you want to take the next step in your career or change careers completely, the first step towards the future is to choose a programme.
How the choice of adult course format affects future careers
The decision to purchase training or pay for a course can be an emotional one. Think back to the feelings you get when you are manipulated by advertisements for a course, e.g. ‘the lowest price’, ‘tomorrow three times the price’, ‘only five places left’, ‘in a fortnight you will be paid three times your current salary’. But after a while, you realise you don’t really need this course.
To avoid getting into this situation, don’t rush into buying right away, weigh up your expectations, needs and possibilities:
- What do you want to get out of this professional development course? Most adult learners are goal-oriented. Look at the objectives of the course and ask yourself if this is what you want to learn.
- Is this a practical course or a theoretical course? Most adult learners are practical, focusing on the aspects of the lesson that are most useful to them in their work. Does the course address the problems you face at work?
- How do you learn best? Most adult learners need active participation in the learning process, facilitated by an instructor. If this applies to you, look for courses with case studies that focus on practical skills in the particular area you are interested in. Small group work allows you to interact with each other, which is also very helpful in the learning process.
If you are honest and realistic when choosing a major, you can avoid wasting time and money or, even worse, dropping out. By assessing who you are and what you are good at, you will be able to find a major that you enjoy and lead you to a successful career that you can enjoy in the long term.
Which adult education course certificates are valued by employers
Online course certificates help, but not in all cases. When there is a sudden career change, you will need a stronger case for getting a job. There is a group of professionals who are sure to be helped by such certificates at the CV review stage – students and graduates when applying for their first job. Such certificates can set a candidate apart from hundreds, because they will have “proof” of their interest in the field. However, certificates in courses such as Self-Management, Time Management will not influence the decision. Employers are more likely to be attracted by the practical nature of the course rather than general business topics.
If the certificate is specific to the profile of the CV, it is a plus for the candidate, especially for entry level positions. Recruiters pay attention to four things: experience, key skills, basic education and professional development. So any additions to the CV, such as descriptions of projects completed or online courses show the job seeker in a more favourable light, indicating that the person is engaged in his or her professional development.
When hiring designers and creative professionals, employers look first and foremost at an employee’s portfolio. Certificates from online courses are in any case important and are taken into account. If an employee regularly attends courses, conferences and upgrades his or her qualifications, he or she has a better chance of joining the team.
A measure is also important: if a candidate has 20 online courses in completely different areas on their profile, this can make the recruiter wary: does the candidate know which area they want to develop in?
Conclusion
When choosing a distance learning courses, weigh up how the new knowledge will affect your career. Focus on honing your practical skills under expert guidance.
Employers will appreciate your learning projects collected in your portfolio. Being motivated to increase your knowledge within your profession is a definite plus in your favour in the eyes of HR.
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