Has your WGU degree helped you find a job? Is the degree respected

joeyg

Hello
I recently inquired to WGU about admissions. I was just wondering how people on these boards felt about getting jobs with their degree from WGU? Does the degree have any clout in the business world? Is WGU worth it? Would you say WGU was instrumental in finding a job?
Thanks for responses

jabokim

Still working on finishing up my degree with WGU, but I still put it on my resume noted with 'expected graduation date'. I can't say for sure if it has helped me get a job, but I can definitely say it hasn't hurt either!

cs8400

Yes. I actually finished up my degree mid-Feb and got interviews for 3 out of 4 jobs I applied for. One made an offer and I accepted. I start in 2 weeks with a 30k bump in salary. The WGU degree paid for itself.

Dakinggamer87

It has definitely helped me out tremendously by increasing my overall visibility. It has also opened up a large amount of better job opportunities simply by having a higher degree in combination with my certs and experience. I'm hoping once I finish my Master's from WGU by early next year it will have the same effect on my salary too!!

TheFORCE

Dakinggamer87 and cs8400 but you guys already have huge experience in the area and already hold many certificates. So you can't really say with certainty that WGU degree helped more that the certs. I actually have a similiar dilemma but i don't want to hijack this thread.

historian1974

Ultimately, it's a culmination of things - experience, degree, certs. A degree won't likely be the sole reason you land a higher paying job, but it's never going to hurt.

TLeTourneau

While I was employed by my current employer when I completed my degree I can say with some certainty that the degree is respected by my employer and that the degree was a factor in my last promotion and pay increase. What it comes down to is it's a regionally accredited degree from a non-profit school. I have no regrets for going to WGU and may get my Masters from them as well.

markulous

When I got hired on with VMware the HR lady said she was very familiar with the school and its good reputation.

You're trying to give your resume as much strength as possible and adding a degree is only going to help. This is also IT and as long as the place is accredited and non-profit I'm not sure most places are really going to care where it's from. It's really just to fill a checkmark.

Dakinggamer87

TheFORCE wrote: »

Dakinggamer87 and cs8400 but you guys already have huge experience in the area and already hold many certificates. So you can't really say with certainty that WGU degree helped more that the certs. I actually have a similiar dilemma but i don't want to hijack this thread.

True I do have a huge amount of experience and certs but I know the degree helped me open positions that required a BS strictly beforehand that I might not have qualified for without it.

Certs+degrees+experience = IT Success

aspiringsoul

Yes, my decision to enroll at WGU (I'm in my last term) likely influenced my employer's decision when they hired me as a Security Analyst.

It certainly didn't hurt my chances that my boss received his MBA from WGU...

cwelber

There's also a karma and being in the "right place" at the "right time." There's many talented people who never catch a break in life, and other's that seem to effortlessly ascend to greatness with little to no credentials.

That's life I guess. More money always is good, but I know many folks who are very high earners and not all that happy so life is a balance of material happiness and internal happiness which is not always based on money or job status. Some folks are happier in a simpler job making less and living simply; while others have a number of child and a wife to support (or similar high living demands which require making more and more money to maintain it).

Legacy User

OP, Not sure how it stands in the business world as this is an IT forum.. but you I am sure you can look and google the business degree reviews for WGU to get some people feedback. To add every recruiter for a staffing firm or company HR that contacted had a requirement of BS in computer science from an accredited university listed in the mandatory requirements. I have a BS in Information Technology from WGU and everyone just gets excited ok you have a Bachelors "thats great!". For IT its more of a checkmark can't personally comment on any other field.