Attending an online school is a great option for students looking for a more flexible learning environment that can be tailored to their existing work and life schedules. However, some students are apprehensive about enrolling in an online school because they’re not sure if the online degree they earn will be respected in the real-world job market, even though it’s from an accredited institution. However, you can make sure your online school degree gets the credit it deserves from employers by following a few simple steps.

First, you can make sure your online school degree is respected by communicating with employers about the school’s accreditation. Online schools haven’t had the time to build the reputations that traditional universities have, and it’s often difficult for employers to separate legitimate schools from dishonorable diploma mills that sells degrees without an educational backing. One of the best ways to prove your online school’s credentials in the job market is to use the same research tools you used in picking a school. The online databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation are helpful in showing a potential employer that your online school met and passes the standards for quality education administered by the relevant accrediting agencies. It will help them see that your education is just as valuable as anyone else’s, and that will boost your standing in the job market.

Another great way to make sure your online school degree helps you get a good job is to stress the validity of online degrees in terms of the amount of work you did. Although you earned a degree from a legitimate, accredited institution, some employers have a tendency to assume that online schools require less work because students are allowed to complete course work from home. However, the time commitment needed to earn a degree from an online school is just as demanding as a brick-and-mortar institution, if not more; many students in online schools choose distance learning so that they can continue to work full-time on top of their classes. In order for your degree to get respect in the job market, you need to remind employers how much work you put into your classes, including showing them any relevant work samples in your portfolio. An online school might not sound like much to those who don’t know better, but once they see how much work you completed to get your degree, they’ll give it the respect it deserves.

By stressing your online school’s credentials and the competent workload your degree required, you’ll be able to prove that your education, though not traditional, has just as much validity as someone who attended a brick-and-mortar school. Your online degree will be respected by employers and the rest of the job market, opening up new opportunities for you along the way.