# New Coder



## Slkeefer08 (Feb 18, 2019)

I am in the process of going for my CPC exam, and I already work at a hospital and had a interview for a coding position. However they told me I do not have enough experience, I was wondering on how do I get the experience I need? I know that most jobs require a few years of experience. Does anyone know of any remote jobs that will take on a new coder or if there are any companies that pay by chart? Even if someone has any suggestions on what to do because I am at a loss on what to do. 

Thanks, 
Shannon


----------



## Jad2018 (Feb 18, 2019)

*A HUGE Problem*

New coders are finding out that employers insist on at least 2 years experience in “proven coding”. Some are even expecting a proven record of high percentage of correct coding. There’s an abundance of job opportunity for experienced coders but its a dead end for a new grad. I have been a a nurse for 26 years now and I have coded ICD 9 and 10 for labs and use codes to justify the use of medication for patient care. So I am familiar with coding,documentation and terminology/anatomy. And I have sent several resumes out with not one call or a thanks but no thanks email or letter. I got loads of calls and emails for nursing jobs though.

It’s something that I would tell people to think hard and be ready to not work in coding after finishing school or training. Think about how you will pay for keeping your certification and completing the CEUS you have to complete. Does your present job pay enough for the extra expenses? 

This is in no way meant to be negative but realistic for those that have to have an income to count on. I have bills to pay and I went back to nursing. It’s the last thing on earth I want to do because after 26 years, I am ready for a change.

Good Luck ? to you and I hope everything works out for you!


----------



## Haydee1 (Mar 20, 2019)

*Same boat*

I, too, am on the same boat! While I have clinical experience and have used both ICD 9 and 10 for work- I am not having any luck with looking for coding jobs much less any site to do an externship or sit and watch with SOME exposure.  At first, I thought it was my location as I am not currently near the main city- I have given out resumes but no reply was received.  I also reached out to my local chapter officers but only got ONE reply.  I am not expecting ANY handouts, I would have appreciated a little bit of help, ideas or suggestions besides networking.  Sadly- I had to get a paying job because bills were piling up and now we are locating to a new area.  I'm crossing my fingers that I will get SOMETHING to do with medical coding- I have invested SO MUCH MONEY in AAPC, it is a bit discouraging if no one will give a "new" coder a chance.  

I'm praying to be in a better situation at the new area where we'll be moving to than here in Fayetteville, NC.

Good luck to all. 

H.


----------



## walmyshv (Mar 22, 2019)

I decided to do my certification and I got it, but I don't work in the health area. I have tried to find a job and it has been in vain. 
With the previous comments I have lost all hope, because my experience is null.
How can I acquire it?


----------



## deliciatraylor (Jun 24, 2019)

Slkeefer08 said:


> I am in the process of going for my CPC exam, and I already work at a hospital and had a interview for a coding position. However they told me I do not have enough experience, I was wondering on how do I get the experience I need? I know that most jobs require a few years of experience. Does anyone know of any remote jobs that will take on a new coder or if there are any companies that pay by chart? Even if someone has any suggestions on what to do because I am at a loss on what to do.
> 
> Thanks,
> Shannon


The great company I work for is hiring remote for multiple positions.  Visit this website www.ensemblehp.com/careers and let them know I referred you.


----------



## Jistbrenda (Jul 17, 2019)

deliciatraylor said:


> The great company I work for is hiring remote for multiple positions.  Visit this website www.ensemblehp.com/careers and let them know I referred you.


Hi, they are hiring new coders remotely?


----------



## Pathos (Jul 17, 2019)

I must have missed the original poster's post, so I am not even sure that they will see this post, however my hope is that someone in a similar boat will.

To those who already have received your CPC-A or are in the process of getting it:

If you look through other people's posts in the Employment thread you will find several good and positive suggestions on how to best land your first coding job. I see several frustrated posts of how difficult it is to get your foot in the door when it comes to medical coding. Granted, I was lucky in the sense my work paid for my CPC and I was already coding when I was taking my exam. That said, I do have some suggestions to share, based on my own and the experiences of other people:

-*Network, network, network*.
These days who you know is almost more important than what you know. I have been in situations where the candidate was probably more qualified than the person who got hired, but because the person who got hired had better networking skills, they got the job instead. Not always fair, but there is that relationship of trust that can be so important.

-*What jobs are you applying for?*
I have applied for jobs that I did not meet all of the requirements for, but was still contacted for interviews. If you think/believe you can do the job, then apply away. Just make sure your resume/CV is solid and reflects how you can dynamite the job.

-*How's your resume?*
I have a small panel of trusted people I often have check on my resume and provide me constructive feedback, and I do the same for them. Make sure your resume is not too general and more specific to the position and organization you're applying to. Recruiters will often see through if you're being too general.

*-How are your interviewing skills?*
Your resume and applications are meant for your ticket to land an interview. Often recruiters will have a number of applicants come in and weed people out from there. Are you interviewing well? There are numerous of YouTube videos that can be helpful in honing your interviewing skills, but most important is to be yourself and show your panel that you are the right candidate for the job.

*-What job do you really want?*
This is a tricky one, especially for a new CPC grad. Know that there *ARE* jobs that are only looking for CPC-A out there. I have seen them, in fact my current manager wants to hire CPC-A exclusively from now on. However, they often require some type of medical office experience along with your certification. If you don't have any medical office experience, don't panic and try and get some. It is the old paradox of "Can't get a job because I don't have enough experience, but I can't get experience because I can't get a job". You might have to aim a little lower than Coding to get your foot in the door, and apply for Patient Registration, Billing, Medical Office Specialist/Receptionist, etc., and then from there go for Coder. Once you land your first coding job, then you should be on your way to a great coding career!

If you have some specific questions/concerns (I made my post kinda generic on purpose in order to include most people), you are also free to PM me and I will help as much as I can. I realize it can be very disheartening and discouraging when you get rejected and your interviews/applications turned down. However, there is hope out there and perhaps all that is needed is some fine-adjustments.

Good luck!


----------



## rachellubin (Jul 17, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I must have missed the original poster's post, so I am not even sure that they will see this post, however my hope is that someone in a similar boat will.
> 
> To those who already have received your CPC-A or are in the process of getting it:
> 
> ...


Who is your current manager that he only wants to hire CPC-A applicants?  Who is the employer?  Thanks.


----------



## mcreque1202@gmail.com (Jul 18, 2019)

deliciatraylor said:


> The great company I work for is hiring remote for multiple positions.  Visit this website www.ensemblehp.com/careers and let them know I referred you.


How do the remote potions work if your in CA and the posting says another state? Can you still apply?


----------



## Pathos (Jul 18, 2019)

rachellubin said:


> Who is your current manager that he only wants to hire CPC-A applicants?  Who is the employer?  Thanks.



I sent you a message.


----------



## Amatyskiel  (Jul 18, 2019)

I got my certification 2 years ago, hoping to switch careers and my teacher reassured me i will find work right after i got my CPC, here I am 2 years later still not able to find employment in healthcare and cannot afford to work for free to get experience due to cost of living in NYC  very disappointing..


----------



## twizzle (Jul 20, 2019)

Amatyskiel  said:


> I got my certification 2 years ago, hoping to switch careers and my teacher reassured me i will find work right after i got my CPC, here I am 2 years later still not able to find employment in healthcare and cannot afford to work for free to get experience due to cost of living in NYC  very disappointing..


Your teacher had no right to say you will find work right after getting your CPC. Just ask 99.9% of people on here who are trying to land that first job. Your teacher needs to get real about employment prospects without experience and not mislead would-be coders. 

I guess if the first thing your teacher said when you started classes was 'you'll have a tough time landing a job if you have no experience, even if you get your certification', the room would empty pretty quickly.

Personally I think AAPC needs to change the criteria for those seeking to get certified. Take a leaf out of AHIMA's book as well as some other organizations by ensuring those sitting for  credentials have some previous experience in the field first. There are hundreds and hundreds of people gaining their CPC/CPC-A every month (just check out Healthcare Business Monthly), most having no coding experience. That is the reason there are so many coders who cannot find employment. Something needs to change, and change quick.


----------



## ncidey (Jul 25, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I sent you a message.


Please send me the information as well.


----------



## xec303jlk (Jul 30, 2019)

Pathos-Could you please send me the information as well?  Thank you!


----------



## commons50 (Aug 3, 2019)

Pathos, please send me the information as well. I tried to send you a private message but not sure if it went through.


----------



## kaloucks (Aug 5, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I sent you a message.


Is your employer still looking for a COC-A? If so can you send me the information please.


----------



## debfowl24 (Aug 23, 2019)

deliciatraylor said:


> The great company I work for is hiring remote for multiple positions.  Visit this website www.ensemblehp.com/careers and let them know I referred you.





mcreque1202@gmail.com said:


> How do the remote potions work if your in CA and the posting says another state? Can you still apply?


----------



## dbjlbiller (Aug 27, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I must have missed the original poster's post, so I am not even sure that they will see this post, however my hope is that someone in a similar boat will.
> 
> To those who already have received your CPC-A or are in the process of getting it:
> 
> ...


 Who is your current manager? What company are you with? I am very interested. Thank you so much for your help.


----------



## Pathos (Aug 27, 2019)

dbjlbiller said:


> Who is your current manager? What company are you with? I am very interested. Thank you so much for your help.



I messaged you.


----------



## josephinecao123 (Sep 3, 2019)

Hi everyone, I'm the new coder also. When I started to study CPC, the AAPC representative told me that the training class equaled two years experiences. Hope that can help new coder to find a job.


----------



## Ldacosta5  (Sep 7, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I sent you a message.



Hi. Can you send me the information as well? Feeling very discouraged. I already work for a hospital for over 7 years and they will not hire me for the coding position without a coding experience. I might have to leave the company as my certification will expire soon. Thanks!


----------



## Ldacosta5  (Sep 7, 2019)

twizzle said:


> Your teacher had no right to say you will find work right after getting your CPC. Just ask 99.9% of people on here who are trying to land that first job. Your teacher needs to get real about employment prospects without experience and not mislead would-be coders.
> 
> I guess if the first thing your teacher said when you started classes was 'you'll have a tough time landing a job if you have no experience, even if you get your certification', the room would empty pretty quickly.
> 
> Personally I think AAPC needs to change the criteria for those seeking to get certified. Take a leaf out of AHIMA's book as well as some other organizations by ensuring those sitting for  credentials have some previous experience in the field first. There are hundreds and hundreds of people gaining their CPC/CPC-A every month (just check out Healthcare Business Monthly), most having no coding experience. That is the reason there are so many coders who cannot find employment. Something needs to change, and change quick.



I completely agree. The hospital I work for has a lot of open positions but they will not hire me because I don't have experience.


----------



## krmoore (Sep 17, 2019)

Finding any medical setting to work as a coder (not just hospitals) will get you the experience. A doctor's office as billing, a chiropractor etc. Knowing what certificates the prefer also helps! Usually an outpatient setting is where you will start out. We were also certified in medical billing and reception so that we could "work our way up" they told us most people won't find a coding job right off the bat... of course this was after 30 credits! Luckily our county hospital coding manager peferred no experience so that they could train us their way. Another person in the program found a job at a hospital coding ER visits for our state statistics. It's an awesome way to gain experience! 

Good luck!


----------



## Ldacosta5  (Oct 8, 2019)

deliciatraylor said:


> The great company I work for is hiring remote for multiple positions.  Visit this website www.ensemblehp.com/careers and let them know I referred you.



Hi. Can I apply if I live out of state?


----------



## Capecodtenor (Oct 31, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I must have missed the original poster's post, so I am not even sure that they will see this post, however my hope is that someone in a similar boat will.
> 
> To those who already have received your CPC-A or are in the process of getting it:
> 
> ...



I like what was said here, but what I'd like to add is: Cover Letter.  The key is to mention transferable skills in your cover letter, usually in the first couple of sentences.  I found myself to be unemployed in January of this year, and knowing my job is very specific, and not likely to find in my area (I didn't want to go back to making the 2  hour commute to Boston for work), I knew a completely different job was in order.  One of my sentences up near the top of my resume reads, "Although specific to the legal field, a Litigation Docketing Clerk performs complex data entry," which is what I basically did.  The fact that a Litigation Docketing Clerk was in the legal field meant nothing, it was data entry.  And as a result, I got contacted by a few recruiters and even went on some interviews.  Now, while I'll admit to not having a permanent job yet, I do have a temp job, which has been extended to the end of the year (I'll take it, and I wouldn't feel so bad leaving the job for a job in the medial field).  My problem is that I'm over qualified for everything I'm applying for, but hoping a career change to medical coding should help with me being over qualified.  Its a thought, anyways.  It also doesn't hurt to get to know people in the coding field.  Network.


----------



## mfishbein (Nov 7, 2019)

Pathos said:


> I must have missed the original poster's post, so I am not even sure that they will see this post, however my hope is that someone in a similar boat will.
> 
> To those who already have received your CPC-A or are in the process of getting it:
> 
> ...


what company do you work for that will hire CPC-A?  I received my certification in May 2019.  Still looking.  Have had only one interview in 6 months and they really wanted more experience.  I have health information management experience but have no actual coding as a job experience.  Thanks for any input!


----------



## Pathos (Nov 7, 2019)

I work for a large healthplan here in Oregon (West Coast), but as with many other companies the hiring rounds come and go. I know of coding positions that doesn't require years of coding experience in our clinics though, however again it's on the West Coast, and pretty far from Illinois.


----------

