Many people Warm Up to Online MBA (MBA distance learning)

Online MBA program may be losing some of the stigma they have in the market, as more employers say they are increasingly open to graduate recruitment program, according to a study published in the Journal this summer Online Distance Learning Administration.

Author of the study, Jeffrey Bailey and Larry Walden University American Public University System Flegle, was interviewed 20 managers hire from several leading companies in Wisconsin, including those in healthcare, finance and insurance industry. Half of employers surveyed said that the degree obtained in the format, whether online or in traditional MBA class, there will be an important factor in the decision to hire or promote a candidate of their employees.

The majority also said that it would not make a difference if a potential hire has obtained a degree from the University of Wisconsin Consortium program, MBA Online or one of the traditional university system, public full-time MBA program, said Bailey, who did the study as his dissertation while a PhD student at Walden University management, which offers a degree online. Their answers are a sign that "the acceptance of online degrees has improved," said Bailey.

"The only people I know made a comment that if I had asked five years ago, the answer will be different," he said. "Things change because more people [who] have gone through online programs are out working in the business world and do well, which gives more credibility degree."

Another surprising finding? All 20 employers interviewed said it was not important to them, whether a job candidate has done or his MBA online from an educational institution for profit or not-for-profit schools, as long as properly accredited degree program.

Despite acceptance by the employer hot line towards MBA graduates, alumni of these programs still face significant barriers when they apply for jobs. For example, some employers believe that online MBA programs are not high quality, tight, or competitive as regular full-time program.

About half of employers surveyed said they still have reservations about the quality of classroom experience in the online MBA program, in favor of a more traditional program brick-and-mortar. For example, the importance of interaction of the faces of students in the class, in teams, and the project has collected six times by this group as a factor that adds value to the traditional MBA, the study found. Others said they had no experience with MBA job candidates online and do not believe online MBA students are serious about their careers as those in full-time MBA program.

"You have some people still question how you can develop socialization skills to work with others if you get an online degree," said Bailey. "The only people I knew said, 'How do I know if someone who spends two or three years ago received an MBA in pajamas they can come to the office?' That is probably a sarcastic comment, but that is what some people still think. "

Recruiters with their prejudices are becoming less common as employers become more open minded about potential job candidates with an MBA degree online. Ann Nowak, director of recruiting for professional programs at Liberty Mutual Insurance, property and casualty insurance companies owned by policyholders, said that the company hire a graduate of the online MBA program last year and recently hired another to be come on board this year.

Nowak recruit students from top 50 MBA program, but said he would consider the occasional student from online MBA program, provided they have excellent grades and a strong employment history. He would prefer candidates who come from schools where core curriculum is closely aligned with the online program school full-time MBA and a short residency is required, as online MBA program called the MBA @ UNC Business at the University of North Carolina, Kenan- Flagler schools.

"Is it out the questions that I will hire someone from online degree program? No, chances are good that I will, but the candidate's experience and academic records have to be really rich for him to hire," he said. "They want to have to really bowl me when they interview me."