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bstarqueen

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Basically as the title says. I got my CPC-A December 5th, 2022, and I have had absolutely no luck in finding a job at all. I've applied to over 150 jobs at this point and I'm feeling very defeated. Any advice from people who have been in my position?
 
bstarqueen said:
Basically as the title says. I got my CPC-A December 5th, 2022, and I have had absolutely no luck in finding a job at all. I've applied to over 150 jobs at this point and I'm feeling very defeated. Any advice from people who have been in my position?
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Remember that December is usually a slow period for hiring due to the holidays and people having time off. Are you getting rejections or just not hearing anything back yet?

If you've already received rejections, I'd encourage you to have your resume reviewed. Make sure you're putting your best foot forward on the applications.

What kinds of jobs are you applying to?
 
Hi BStarQueen:)
Try to find out who the coding manager at each hospital or medical center or urgent care or insurance company where you live at . Then send them an email or direct letter with your resume explaining ready to be hired, Etc. Sometimes it is slow depends on Human Resources Dept. or their current budget. Try to send a message to Linked In professionals too. Find out the closest AAPC meetings in your area then attend & network. Next if that does not work...try get billing job then work into coding department later. One more tip go the Human Resouces Dept where you like to work dressed properly with resume and online application in hand. I did that 2 times to get a medical coding job. Also if get interview send thank you card later. (y)
Good Luck!
Lady T
 
Wanted to add you also may have to be open to taking a different role from a coding position to get your "foot in the door". This might mean working in another role in the revenue cycle, medical records, patient access, scheduling, pre-auth, etc. All of these roles benefit from someone understanding coding (CPC) and medical terminology.
 
Hello!
I am in the same position, I have secured my CPC-A in November and cannot seem to get hired anywhere. I have over 6 years of healthcare experience and took a course through a university for coding and was told I can use that as 1 year of "experience". I've tweaked my resume as well as had it reviewed, I've emailed/called the applied places that provide the information. Still no leads for a coding position and I've applied to over 100 different businesses as well. I do understand I am still an apprentice, but I am a hard worker and excited to change my career and do something different. Trying to stay hopeful and positive but the rejections can be very discouraging. Keep pushing forward!
 
lilidi721@gmail.com said:
Hello!
I am in the same position, I have secured my CPC-A in November and cannot seem to get hired anywhere. I have over 6 years of healthcare experience and took a course through a university for coding and was told I can use that as 1 year of "experience". I've tweaked my resume as well as had it reviewed, I've emailed/called the applied places that provide the information. Still no leads for a coding position and I've applied to over 100 different businesses as well. I do understand I am still an apprentice, but I am a hard worker and excited to change my career and do something different. Trying to stay hopeful and positive but the rejections can be very discouraging. Keep pushing forward!
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Your education should count as 1 year towards the 2 year Apprentice removal requirement. (More on that here: https://www.aapc.com/apprentice/applied-experience.aspx )

Job applications are something separate. Each individual employer will decide whether they want hands-on experience, education, passing a pre-employment test, or some combination of the above.

You mentioned having 6 years of healthcare experience - what type of experience do you have? Perhaps you could count some portion of that towards the other year for your Apprentice removal. (1 year education + 1 year relevant experience = 2 year requirement for Apprentice removal)

What types of positions have you been applying for? Are you able to at least train in office or are you looking for a fully remote position?

One additional thing to remember is that hiring traditionally slows down over the holidays, due to decision makers sometimes being out of office. With starting to apply in November. there was some overlap with that period as well. It's possible that listings and responses will start picking back up now that it is January.

Are you on LinkedIn? Many recruiters post listings on LinkedIn and also in coding related Facebook groups. I'd keep an eye out for those listings - many times recruiters will specifically state if a job is CPC-A eligible.

Good luck on your search!
 
sls314 said:
Your education should count as 1 year towards the 2 year Apprentice removal requirement. (More on that here: https://www.aapc.com/apprentice/applied-experience.aspx )

Job applications are something separate. Each individual employer will decide whether they want hands-on experience, education, passing a pre-employment test, or some combination of the above.

You mentioned having 6 years of healthcare experience - what type of experience do you have? Perhaps you could count some portion of that towards the other year for your Apprentice removal. (1 year education + 1 year relevant experience = 2 year requirement for Apprentice removal)

What types of positions have you been applying for? Are you able to at least train in office or are you looking for a fully remote position?

One additional thing to remember is that hiring traditionally slows down over the holidays, due to decision makers sometimes being out of office. With starting to apply in November. there was some overlap with that period as well. It's possible that listings and responses will start picking back up now that it is January.

Are you on LinkedIn? Many recruiters post listings on LinkedIn and also in coding related Facebook groups. I'd keep an eye out for those listings - many times recruiters will specifically state if a job is CPC-A eligible.

Good luck on your search!
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I was a medical assistant for 6 years under an internal medicine physician. There were only two of us medical assistants in the office and because of that I was somewhat being trained to take on some coding for the office. I did add this information on my resume as well as my cover letter according to each employer. The goal is to be fully remote, but I have applied for all coding positions, whether that be on-site or remote and even billing positions to at the very least get some of the experience to help build my resume. I do know they want that experience though. I am on LinkedIn, ziprecruiter, and Indeed. I am also planning on obtaining more certifications in the near future. I am working hard and trying to advocate as best I can for myself, I really appreciate the feedback!
 
lilidi721@gmail.com said:
I was a medical assistant for 6 years under an internal medicine physician. There were only two of us medical assistants in the office and because of that I was somewhat being trained to take on some coding for the office. I did add this information on my resume as well as my cover letter according to each employer. The goal is to be fully remote, but I have applied for all coding positions, whether that be on-site or remote and even billing positions to at the very least get some of the experience to help build my resume. I do know they want that experience though. I am on LinkedIn, ziprecruiter, and Indeed. I am also planning on obtaining more certifications in the near future. I am working hard and trying to advocate as best I can for myself, I really appreciate the feedback!
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For what it's worth, my boss loves hiring coders who used to be MAs. She started as an MA herself.

I work in Ohio and all of our positions are in person, but hopefully that at least gives you some encouragement that you may find a like-minded hiring manager in your area!
 
sls314 said:
For what it's worth, my boss loves hiring coders who used to be MAs. She started as an MA herself.

I work in Ohio and all of our positions are in person, but hopefully that at least gives you some encouragement that you may find a like-minded hiring manager in your area!
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Agree, in my experience (myself included and hiring/working with others) those with clinical backgrounds and experience in direct clinical care *generally* make better coders.
 
If you are only applying for remote work, also keep in mind that because all states have different regulations, some employers can't/won't hire from certain states. Eg, our company's remote policy states Due to complex requirements, remote work is not permitted in: CA, HI, ND, NJ, NY, OR, WA.
 
amyjph said:
Wanted to add you also may have to be open to taking a different role from a coding position to get your "foot in the door". This might mean working in another role in the revenue cycle, medical records, patient access, scheduling, pre-auth, etc. All of these roles benefit from someone understanding coding (CPC) and medical terminology.
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I already have 3+ years in the healthcare field, mostly patient access, but I have about 9 months of experience in billing and insurance verification.
 
bstarqueen said:
Basically as the title says. I got my CPC-A December 5th, 2022, and I have had absolutely no luck in finding a job at all. I've applied to over 150 jobs at this point and I'm feeling very defeated. Any advice from people who have been in my position?
Click to expand...
Hi there,

Hope everything is well with you! Please don’t get discouraged. Anyway, usually end of the year is slow time. Companies typically do not hire during year end unless they need to. Have you signed up for LinkedIn? Look into Risk Adjustment, it’s easier to find jobs in Risk Adjustment field as a brand new coder. The Judge Group and CSI are hiring right now. I wish you luck!
 
I'm agreeing with the difficulty in finding a job. I've been working as an AA for 3 years now and can't even get my foot in the door to doing something in billing, denials, or coding because they want someone with 3-5 years experience actually coding. I thought being an AA in a hospital/outpatient office would be that foot in the door. NOPE! Not to mention that the salaries that they are offering for these positions (and I know private practice is less than hospitals) is less than my starting AA position which requires no extra classes or credentials. I've been looking for jobs for over a year now and aggressively for the past 6 months. The other difficult thing is that I'm trying to move to another location. Can you believe one hospital basically automatically declined my many applications because I didn't have a local address. Hello, people move and need jobs where they are moving to. I've applied for so many I have to keep a spreadsheet of all the sites, password, places, etc. I have been extremely frustrated with this process. I've been eyeing the job boards here, looked at CMS, hospitals, private practices, etc. I've only had a couple of interviews and haven't heard back on any one of them. I've even posted my resume on one of the threads here. I've talked to other people who got their 4 year degree in this and they too couldn't get jobs and are annoyed at this process. The feeds are full of people frustrated by the process and the lack of jobs for new CPC or CPC-A people. You would think these leaders and hiring managers that are involved in AAPC or other organizations would look and see that there is a HUGH problem. I think the employment dialog needs to be changed in the hiring process. One I think algorithms should go away and go back to personal review. I think you need to find out if a person seems to be trainable. I also think that taking another test as the application process is garbage. I already took a 4 hour test to get my credentials. Trainable is key and most important. If someone isn't trainable they are going to do it their way even if it is wrong. So hiring managers please open up your job's requirements and interview people that may not have the extensive experience you want in order to possibly gain a more valuable employee.
 
lmmnorth@yahoo.com said:
I'm agreeing with the difficulty in finding a job. I've been working as an AA for 3 years now and can't even get my foot in the door to doing something in billing, denials, or coding because they want someone with 3-5 years experience actually coding. I thought being an AA in a hospital/outpatient office would be that foot in the door. NOPE! Not to mention that the salaries that they are offering for these positions (and I know private practice is less than hospitals) is less than my starting AA position which requires no extra classes or credentials. I've been looking for jobs for over a year now and aggressively for the past 6 months. The other difficult thing is that I'm trying to move to another location. Can you believe one hospital basically automatically declined my many applications because I didn't have a local address. Hello, people move and need jobs where they are moving to. I've applied for so many I have to keep a spreadsheet of all the sites, password, places, etc. I have been extremely frustrated with this process. I've been eyeing the job boards here, looked at CMS, hospitals, private practices, etc. I've only had a couple of interviews and haven't heard back on any one of them. I've even posted my resume on one of the threads here. I've talked to other people who got their 4 year degree in this and they too couldn't get jobs and are annoyed at this process. The feeds are full of people frustrated by the process and the lack of jobs for new CPC or CPC-A people. You would think these leaders and hiring managers that are involved in AAPC or other organizations would look and see that there is a HUGH problem. I think the employment dialog needs to be changed in the hiring process. One I think algorithms should go away and go back to personal review. I think you need to find out if a person seems to be trainable. I also think that taking another test as the application process is garbage. I already took a 4 hour test to get my credentials. Trainable is key and most important. If someone isn't trainable they are going to do it their way even if it is wrong. So hiring managers please open up your job's requirements and interview people that may not have the extensive experience you want in order to possibly gain a more valuable employee.
Click to expand...

"Can you believe one hospital basically automatically declined my many applications because I didn't have a local address. Hello, people move and need jobs where they are moving to."

That's not unusual, and it happens in all industries. If an employer is specifically looking for local candidates, that is one screening tool that they can use to narrow down the number of applications they need to review.

(It was probably much more prevalent 5+ years ago, before remote work started to become more common. However, it still happens, especially for companies that are hiring for hybrid or in-person roles. Some job applications even specifically say that candidates must reside within X miles to be considered.)

If you already have a move planned to a specific city, there are a number of articles that give helpful suggestions on conducting a job search when you have a move planned. Here's an example of one article - you can search for others: https://www.military.com/spouse/car...a-local-address-for-your-next-job-search.html

I would suggest perhaps taking a pause from submitting application after application - do some research on how to conduct an effective job search. You don't necessarily have to look for articles specific to medical coding - there's a wealth of information out there that applies across all industries.

Give yourself the opportunity to put your absolute best foot forward on every application. Make sure your resume and any written communication you send to a potential employer are professional and mistake-free. If you're interviewing and not hearing back, consider doing a mock interview with someone you trust to give you good feedback.

Good luck on your search!
 
It's difficult to find a job, because everyone needs to have 2 year experience. I got CPC the last year in May 2022 and after that 3 months I removed A with Practicode, but no one accepts new coder, maybe I'm not lucky, then after I don't want to waste time and forget it, I continue learn CRC, and passed CRC this month. I'm looking for the job right now.
 
So everyone is saying to get any medical experience to get your foot in the door. What if I already have over 10 years experience working in the medical field with the last 5 being in billing. I have put in hundreds of applications and only got 1 call for a job that wasn't even coding and still didn't get the job after having an interview. I received my CPC in December 2022 and finished Practicode the beginning of April. I am so frustrated, I don't understand what I am doing wrong.

My other issue is I have to work remote because I won't get the covid vaccine and CMS is requiring all employees get it to work in a facility that takes Medicare and Medicaid. But I can't even get an interview so that hasn't come up yet.
 
cherfred1016 said:
So everyone is saying to get any medical experience to get your foot in the door. What if I already have over 10 years experience working in the medical field with the last 5 being in billing. I have put in hundreds of applications and only got 1 call for a job that wasn't even coding and still didn't get the job after having an interview. I received my CPC in December 2022 and finished Practicode the beginning of April. I am so frustrated, I don't understand what I am doing wrong.

My other issue is I have to work remote because I won't get the covid vaccine and CMS is requiring all employees get it to work in a facility that takes Medicare and Medicaid. But I can't even get an interview so that hasn't come up yet.
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If you meet the requirements of the posting you are applying to, but are not getting contacted for any interviews, I would suggest carefully reviewing your resume. Many companies use a program that filters resumes and only ones making it past the filter are even looked at by a human. I don't use any filtering other than specific requirements that are listed in the position, and as long as the answers to those specific quesitons are yes, I then review it. When I post a position on Indeed, I literally get 150+ resumes in a day or two and close the posting simply because I know I can't even review that many resumes. I reach out to 30-50 that the resume seems to meet not only my basic requirements, but also my "pluses". So if I say "1 year experience required. OB/GYN a plus" and I have 30 candidates with 2 years of ob/gyn experience they are getting contacted first. I set aside certain days/times for interviews. Once that is filled, if anyone else contacts me, I simply let them know all the interview slots have been filled. Many hiring managers simply cannot dedicate 2 weeks for nothing but interviews.
Further limiting your options is the only remote aspect. I know for me, with a newly certified coder, I would want someone to be at least hybrid during training. Yes, it can be done fully remote but (IMHO) some things are just easier in person. Even when I do hire fully remote, out of state, there are only 10 "approved" states I am allowed to hire from.
Bottom line: 1) Carefully review your resume or have it professionally re-done. I know it can be pricey, but if it helps you land a position, it is money well spent. 2) Make sure you are applying for positions where you do meet all the requirements. I know there are some who say "apply for everything - what does it hurt?" but you may simply be spinning your wheels and feeling disheartened in the process. 3) Try networking. Your local AAPC chapter can be a good resource. What about former companies and/or co-workers? If you've been working in healthcare for 10 years, you likely know some people or know people who know people. Linked in. I never have, but I know some on here have successfully used recruiters.

Good luck!
 
I recently passed the CPC exam and I have been applying everywhere with no luck. I have over 20 yrs in medical field. The positions were multitasked so I have experience in medical records, prior authorizations, scheduling, working with diagnosis codes, insurance, patient care, and EMR systems. I cannot seem to find a job anywhere. All I see is people wanting two or more years experience in just coding. Im getting so frustrated because no one wants to give a new coder a chance. I have a great work ethic and with the medical experience you would think someone would give me a chance. I wonder how the coders who do have these jobs got someone to give them that chance? Because they also had to start somewhere. Please help with any information you can pass along to me. Thanks
 
jbpowell said:
I recently passed the CPC exam and I have been applying everywhere with no luck. I have over 20 yrs in medical field. The positions were multitasked so I have experience in medical records, prior authorizations, scheduling, working with diagnosis codes, insurance, patient care, and EMR systems. I cannot seem to find a job anywhere. All I see is people wanting two or more years experience in just coding. Im getting so frustrated because no one wants to give a new coder a chance. I have a great work ethic and with the medical experience you would think someone would give me a chance. I wonder how the coders who do have these jobs got someone to give them that chance? Because they also had to start somewhere. Please help with any information you can pass along to me. Thanks
Click to expand...

With your experience, I would suggest having someone take a look at your resume to optimize it for the automated applicant tracking service to ensure your application actually makes it through to a human. There should be no reason you aren't getting interviews with that experience. Sarah Ragan offers a great service where she will do a 30 minute Zoom interview to discuss your experience and goals before revising your resume. (She's all over LinkedIn and Facebook - I can search for an exact link, but you should be able to find her quickly too.)

Also, what type of positions are you looking for?

Remember that those remote positions that will hire from any state often have 500 applicants within a day. If you can search positions with health systems or providers in your state or metro area, it could increase your odds of success.
 
Can you please forward Sarah Ragan email link....I passed my cpc exam so it would be great helpful for me.
thank you appreciated.
 
sls314 said:
Remember that December is usually a slow period for hiring due to the holidays and people having time off. Are you getting rejections or just not hearing anything back yet?

If you've already received rejections, I'd encourage you to have your resume reviewed. Make sure you're putting your best foot forward on the applications.

What kinds of jobs are you applying to?
Click to expand...
Hi Susan, This is Santhiya Parthiban. Am looking for Instructor Certification. I filled the form many times but didn't get any call. Am from India, am trying for job in Abroad also. Can you please guide me?
 
jbpowell said:
I recently passed the CPC exam and I have been applying everywhere with no luck. I have over 20 yrs in medical field. The positions were multitasked so I have experience in medical records, prior authorizations, scheduling, working with diagnosis codes, insurance, patient care, and EMR systems. I cannot seem to find a job anywhere. All I see is people wanting two or more years experience in just coding. Im getting so frustrated because no one wants to give a new coder a chance. I have a great work ethic and with the medical experience you would think someone would give me a chance. I wonder how the coders who do have these jobs got someone to give them that chance? Because they also had to start somewhere. Please help with any information you can pass along to me. Thanks
Click to expand...
Hi JBPowell
I suggest trying insurance companies, medical equipment companies, nursing homes, state Medicaid office, urgent care centers, or ambulance or medical billing companies .Or course send in apps online but I d go to the actual medical place or doctor s office in your town, doing the app online. Then as extra process print application out and mail it to manager of coding or billing with cover letter.....get their info from Linked In. Also try and attend the local AAPC meetings in your region to network. Human Resources at each employer will have to verify all data so add certification in with your cover letter and the hard copy job applications.
I hope this data helps
Lady T
 
jbpowell said:
I recently passed the CPC exam and I have been applying everywhere with no luck. I have over 20 yrs in medical field. The positions were multitasked so I have experience in medical records, prior authorizations, scheduling, working with diagnosis codes, insurance, patient care, and EMR systems. I cannot seem to find a job anywhere. All I see is people wanting two or more years experience in just coding. Im getting so frustrated because no one wants to give a new coder a chance. I have a great work ethic and with the medical experience you would think someone would give me a chance. I wonder how the coders who do have these jobs got someone to give them that chance? Because they also had to start somewhere. Please help with any information you can pass along to me. Thanks
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vantran2021 said:
Disappointed to find a job, no one accepts Entry Level of coder
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Hi Vantran
I suggest trying insurance companies, medical equipment companies, state Medicaid office, nursing homes, urgent care centers, or ambulance or medical billing companies .Or course send in apps online but I d go to the actual medical place or doctor s office in your town, plus doing the app online. Then as extra process print application out and mail it to manager of coding or billing with cover letter.....get their info from Linked In. Also try and attend the local AAPC meetings in your region to network. Human Resources at each employer will have to verify all data so add certification in with your cover letter and the hard copy job applications.
I hope this data helps
Lady T
 
santhiya.p said:
Hi Susan, This is Santhiya Parthiban. Am looking for Instructor Certification. I filled the form many times but didn't get any call. Am from India, am trying for job in Abroad also. Can you please guide me?
Click to expand...
Hi Santhiya,
I suggest trying insurance companies, medical equipment companies, nursing homes, state Medicaid office, urgent care centers, or ambulance or medical billing companies .Or course send in apps online but I d go to the actual medical place or doctor s office in your town, doing the app online. Then as extra process print application out and mail it to manager of coding or billing with cover letter.....get their info from Linked In. Also try and attend the local AAPC meetings in your region to network. Human Resources at each employer will have to verify all data so add certification in with your cover letter and the hard copy job applications.
I hope this data helps
Lady T
 
jbpowell said:
I recently passed the CPC exam and I have been applying everywhere with no luck. I have over 20 yrs in medical field. The positions were multitasked so I have experience in medical records, prior authorizations, scheduling, working with diagnosis codes, insurance, patient care, and EMR systems. I cannot seem to find a job anywhere. All I see is people wanting two or more years experience in just coding. Im getting so frustrated because no one wants to give a new coder a chance. I have a great work ethic and with the medical experience you would think someone would give me a chance. I wonder how the coders who do have these jobs got someone to give them that chance? Because they also had to start somewhere. Please help with any information you can pass along to me. Thanks
Click to expand...
 
TThivierge said:
Hi JBPowell
I suggest trying insurance companies, medical equipment companies, nursing homes, state Medicaid office, urgent care centers, or ambulance or medical billing companies .Or course send in apps online but I d go to the actual medical place or doctor s office in your town, doing the app online. Then as extra process print application out and mail it to manager of coding or billing with cover letter.....get their info from Linked In. Also try and attend the local AAPC meetings in your region to network. Human Resources at each employer will have to verify all data so add certification in with your cover letter and the hard copy job applications.
I hope this data helps
Lady T
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for the information. I will definitely try these suggestions. This is very much appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
sls314 said:
With your experience, I would suggest having someone take a look at your resume to optimize it for the automated applicant tracking service to ensure your application actually makes it through to a human. There should be no reason you aren't getting interviews with that experience. Sarah Ragan offers a great service where she will do a 30 minute Zoom interview to discuss your experience and goals before revising your resume. (She's all over LinkedIn and Facebook - I can search for an exact link, but you should be able to find her quickly too.)

Also, what type of positions are you looking for?

Remember that those remote positions that will hire from any state often have 500 applicants within a day. If you can search positions with health systems or providers in your state or metro area, it could increase your odds of success.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for the information and suggestions. It is very much appreciated and helpful. Fingers crossed I will find something soon.
 
TThivierge said:
Hi Santhiya,
I suggest trying insurance companies, medical equipment companies, nursing homes, state Medicaid office, urgent care centers, or ambulance or medical billing companies .Or course send in apps online but I d go to the actual medical place or doctor s office in your town, doing the app online. Then as extra process print application out and mail it to manager of coding or billing with cover letter.....get their info from Linked In. Also try and attend the local AAPC meetings in your region to network. Human Resources at each employer will have to verify all data so add certification in with your cover letter and the hard copy job applications.
I hope this data helps
Lady T
Click to expand...
Hi, Thanks for your response. In India, its difficult to reach any organization with such request. I tried even remote coding jobs to get clients to start coding business on my own but didn't get any response. Can you guide me on how to get remote medical coding jobs?
 
Santhiya,
Above commenter stated.....If you are only applying for remote work, also keep in mind that because all states have different regulations, some employers can't/won't hire from certain states. Eg, our company's remote policy states Due to complex requirements, remote work is not permitted in: CA, HI, ND, NJ, NY, OR, WA. I would try get address from Linkedin on coding or billing managers from different healthcare business above and then write hard copy letter send resume..this may help.
Good luck
Lady T
 
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