Want to climb the career ladder without putting your education on hold?
You are not alone. Millions of career minded individuals are trying to balance holding down a full time job, being active in family life, and wanting to learn new skills all at once. And here’s the truth…
Throwing away everything and going straight to college full-time for four years is ancient history.
Online learning opportunities today allow you to pursue your career ambitions AND work toward a valuable credential simultaneously. The trick is learning how to do both without compromising either.
This guide breaks down the precise playbook that helps working professionals get a higher degree online while accelerating their career.
Let’s jump in!
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Why The Old “Career vs. Education” Trade-Off Is Over
- The Rise Of Online Learning For Working Professionals
- 5x Strategies To Balance Work And Study
- Choosing The Right Program For Your Goals
Why The Old “Career vs. Education” Trade-Off Is Over
For decades, working adults had to choose…
Go back to school and leave your career on hold OR stay in your career and hope to advance without a degree. They both had huge cons.
Here’s the problem:
Stepping away from your career costs you money, momentum, and sometimes seniority. However if you don’t continue your education while at the job, your peers with degrees will pass you by.
Today there is no trade-off. Digital learning has enabled people to work full-time while taking rigorous business management courses that truly make a difference in your skill set.
Especially true in fields such as business. Courses for business management degrees are now available online through accredited universities. Working students have access to the same material as their on-campus counterparts. So if you’re looking to be in a leadership position, getting your bachelor’s degree in management online is one of the best decisions you can make these days.
Statistics agree. One study revealed that 71% of hiring managers view an accredited online degree as legitimate as a degree from on-campus students.
That’s huge.
The Rise Of Online Learning For Working Professionals
Online learning isn’t a niche option anymore…
It’s what most adult students choose. The average online student these days is between 27-35 years old and has a part-time job or full-time job.
Why the shift? A handful of big reasons:
- Flexibility: Study at lunchtime, on your commute, after the kids go to sleep
- No commute: Save hours every week
- Affordability: Online tuition is often lower than in-person rates
- Career compatibility: Apply what you learn at work the very next day
And here’s the kicker…
Business remains by far the most popular major. Enrollment stats show that 17.7% of four year college undergrads are business majors, making it the most common bachelor’s degree program in the country.
There’s a reason for that. Business skills pay off in pretty much every industry.
5x Strategies To Balance Work And Study
Now to the good part…
5 Tips That Work for Balancing a Career and an Online Degree. Try a few. Keep what works.
Block Your Calendar Like A Pro
You can’t “find” time to study. You have to make it.
Schedule certain hours each week that you cannot miss. Treat these hours as seriously as you would a meeting with your boss. If you wouldn’t back out of a commitment with your boss, don’t back out on yourself.
A good starting point:
- 2x weekday evenings (90 minutes each)
- 1x longer Saturday morning session (3 hours)
That comes to roughly 6 hours a week of actual studying. Which is more than enough for most online courses.
Turn Dead Time Into Study Time
Listen to recorded lectures on your commute. Or, if you work at home, “simulate” a commute by listening for 20 minutes before work, and 20 minutes after work.
That’s 40 extra minutes of learning every day without sacrificing anything else.
Pretty cool, right?
Tell Your Employer
This one scares people, but it shouldn’t.
Many employers love when their employees study because they end up with a better-educated employee. Employers may even pay for part of your tuition with a tuition reimbursement program. 84% of employees say tuition assistance was one of the biggest reasons they accepted their job.
Ask your HR department if your employer offers any tuition reimbursement or educational assistance. You have nothing to lose by asking.
Win-win, right?
Apply What You Learn Immediately
Online degrees are uniquely powerful because you’re working AND studying at the same time.
If week 3 of your course is about budgets, examine your team’s budget that week. If leadership styles are covered, watch your manager that week and think about what does and doesn’t work.
This kind of real-time application is something campus students simply can’t do.
Don’t Try To Be Perfect
Sometimes you will fall behind. You will miss a deadline. You will earn a B instead of an A.
That’s okay.
You want to complete your degree and stay on track in your career. Passing/not failing and keeping ahead will always beat cramming every time.
Choosing The Right Program For Your Goals
Not every online program is built the same…
Here’s what to look for before you sign up:
- Accreditation: Hands down the most important. If your school isn’t accredited, your degree may not be worth the paper it’s written on when you go to apply for a job
- Asynchronous classes: Study whenever you want, not when the uni wants you to
- Career-focused curriculum: Look for programs that teach skills you can apply at work
- Strong career services: Job placement support is a huge bonus
- Transfer credits: If you have college credits from a previous school, look for a school that will accept them
The best programs check all 5 boxes.
You should also think about WHY you are studying. Are you studying to move up in your current career? Change careers? Start your own business one day?
Your “why” should shape the program you pick.
Putting It All Together
Balancing career ambitions with educational pursuits used to be incredibly hard…
Now? It’s not just possible, it’s the norm.
Online education is revolutionizing the way people learn. Complete your degree while advancing your career with the right program, schedule, and attitude.
To quickly recap:
- The old “career vs. education” trade-off is gone
- Online learning is now mainstream for adult learners
- Block your calendar, tell your employer, and apply what you learn at work
- Pick an accredited, asynchronous program that fits your goals
- Don’t aim for perfection, aim for steady progress
The number one error aspiring professionals make is thinking there will ever be a “perfect time” to return to school.
It doesn’t exist.
Start small, stay consistent, and your future self will thank you.
