# Help me choose my frist coding job.



## tiffanyannd (May 6, 2017)

Hello, first I thought I should tell you all my experience, then what the jobs are and what they offer, then the problems I see with each. This would be my first coding job and I just really want it work out well.

So first I want to say, everything I know about coding I taught myself. So I feel like I still have a lot to learn. I finished school last year, and just in February took the test for the first time and passed. Yes, I went to school, but the school I went to, the teacher was no help at all, basically gave me the books, and I read them. That's how I learned, so yeah I feel I still have a lot to learn. Now I have two job offers to choose from and I've very apprehensive about both for different reasons.

#1 - $17/hr, will be doing coding and billing, will be working with a person who is still going to school, and isn't certified yet. I feel like maybe outside of this job, and school they have no other coding experience, and still has things to learn them self. I feel like that because this person is still about the same age as me, in their 20s somewhere. I feel very uncomfortable with that fact, as I feel I still have a lot to learn myself, and don't want to mess up my first job. I feel like doing both coding and billing working with a staff like that will be very stressful as well. Other than that I feel like I will get along with these people well, and they are very professional and organized for being young. I feel like the facility is clean. The parking situation is kind of bad though, because they only have street side parking.

#2- $13.80/hr, will doing coding only, will be working with a person who has a lot of experience. They have like 3 different credentials for coding. I feel like I could learn a lot there. But this person is very unorganized. For example, I will call them, and get no response at all, for like a whole day. I will email them, and get a text response a few hours later. This makes me think I won't get along with this person. I feel like the facility is a bit messy. The parking is ok, the employee's park on a helipad and when the helicopter comes they have to move there cars, which is hard because there is like just about no parking lot, and almost no room for street parking, which is the only other option.

Other than all that, both will offer health insurance, AAPC membership payments, and things like that.

So I feel very torn. I wish I could have a place with both, working under someone with experience and that I can get along with. Also working somewhere that is organized and clean. But these are my choices.

Please help me choose, any advice is helpful. Thank you.


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## greatbiller (May 6, 2017)

It is a nice situation where you have two job offers to choose from.  

Do you have any experience with billing or accounts receivable follow up in a medical environment?  Billing and coding go hand in hand.  I became a coder after working for years in accounts receivable, and obtaining a coding credential was the next logical step in my career development.

$13.80/hour seems low for a coding position, and how effective can you be if you need to find a place to move your car if a helicopter needs to land.  However, the position may have more opportunities for continuing education and career growth.  You will also have other coders to go to with questions, etc.  

The billing/coding position will allow you to gain experience quickly, but without an experienced person to show you the ropes, you may be making potentially costly errors without realizing it.  

Go with the option you are personally most comfortable with.   

Good luck!


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## tiffanyannd (May 6, 2017)

greatbiller said:


> Do you have any experience with billing or accounts receivable follow up in a medical environment?
> 
> $13.80/hour seems low for a coding position,...  However, the position may have more opportunities for continuing education and career growth.  You will also have other coders to go to with questions, etc.
> 
> The billing/coding position will allow you to gain experience quickly, but without an experienced person to show you the ropes, you may be making potentially costly errors without realizing it.



No I really don't. I have an accounting certificate, and in school I learned about billing. But that's it.

Is $13.80/hr low? I mean for a newbie?

And on your last point, that is exactly what I am afraid of. Making costly mistakes at my first job, possibly being blamed for it, and never getting another job, because I didn't know what I did was wrong.


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## CodingKing (May 7, 2017)

Whats the point of an experienced coworker if it seems they are too busy or disinterested from the start?


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## tiffanyannd (May 7, 2017)

CodingKing said:


> Whats the point of an experienced coworker if it seems they are too busy or disinterested from the start?



That's exactly how I feel. Like if it's so hard to make a connection to just get an interview, and then find out if they want to hire me or not, and what they are offering exactly, then is that really someone I want to work with and try to learn from?

I mean I keep thinking about it, and with the #1 job I can still get a mentor through AAPC who can help me when I have questions. Also their biller is someone who has experience. It's just their coder doesn't really seem to.


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## tiffanyannd (May 7, 2017)

Well I accepted the #1 job offer. After thinking it over, and realizing that it is a clinic. They will be doing things that are potentially not too difficult to code, and they may even have a super bill indicating exactly what was done. I mean if someone with so little experience can do it, why can't I? Plus they have one of those auditing organizations that they go through, so if I make a mistake it will come back to us, until we figure out what went wrong. And with a mentor through AAPC I think it will all be okay.

Thank you all for your advice.


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