Thanks for the encouragement! It is needed! I finished school in March and I've been applying for jobs constantly! I do not have the extra $300 for the test right now, need a job first. So, obviously, I am not applying for coding positions...I have been applying right and left to entry level office positions. No bites yet! I have been a stay at home mom for 20 years, so maybe that is what's holding me back. I hope to hear some news soon! Do hospitals allow volunteers in the charge entry area??
I really doubt it - too many privacy concerns. But,
ANY job within the proximity of the billing/customer service side of a hospital or practice is a foot in the door for a coding position - it may even get you where you want to be, a
LOT faster than you'd think. I really want to see what would happen if someone who's certified (or soon to be certified), and with
NO experience, would put my theory on this to the test (although it will depend largely on how good of an employee the person is):
Find a medium-to-large sized physician group practice, hospital, or other well established medical facility/physician's office, that's advertising for an
entry-level clerical position - even more entry-level than charge entry (
think: receptionist or file clerk). Tell them that you are currently/soon to be certified as a coder, and you want to
get used to the pace of the clinic environment, and hopefully, get an opportunity to learn real hands-on coding from an experienced coder;
remind them that you can't get that kind of practical experience from any book.
-Your goal ("5 year plan") is to someday ___________. Fill in the blank with something
beyond coding, like practice management, consulting, auditing, or even just running a coding or billing department, if that's you passion - the
key is to make the goal a
few steps bigger than just
'become an experienced coder',
even if you don't expect to achieve it within 5 years. What you'll be communicating is, "I'm ambitious, and not only do I
have a plan to make this my long-term career, by applying for this job,
I'm already putting my plan into action." Showing that your plan is thought out beyond one step into the future demonstrates critical thinking and initiative, which are valuable traits in any employee. The receptionist position is Step 1: getting acclimated with how the practice operates by learning the whole process, from patient check in to claim appeals.
Step 2: is to learn as much as you can - become the 'jack-of-all-trades' of the clinic. People love to teach others what they know, when the pupil shows a genuine desire to learn
from them, especially. You may not be granted time on the clock to intern around the office right away, but if you're seriously dedicated, use your break times or other spare off-the-clock time to learn a new skill (especially if you can sit with a coder), and make sure your efforts are noticed by your supervisor(s). Don't make a big deal about it - just say, "'So-and-so' said she'd be happy to help me develop my coding skills [in my personal time/during my lunch breaks] by observing her at work; but we thought we should check with you first, to make sure it's alright." (*You'll score bonus points, if your proposed mentor is recognized as a top performer...) Make sure you've been there for at least a week or two, and have already shown that you're competent and a good student, by proving yourself in your current position. (Be the best darn file clerk that's ever worked there!
)
It's really not much different than an unpaid internship, except you don't have to bother with all of the privacy/security hassles of a non-employee intern. You wouldn't be
working(technically), or training for a position that's been promised to you
(yet), so it's
not likely that your unpaid presence - strictly for your own academic benefit - will violate any labor laws (check with your state if you're unsure). If you're
really lucky, they might be impressed enough to allow you a little bit of paid training from the beginning; but either way, if you make a good impression on your trainer, it'll get back to the supervisors - and they'll start to see that you're a good investment. The next opening in a position you want will be as good as yours!
This might sound obvious to most people, but dress professionally (you'd rather be over-dressed than under-dressed...no scrubs), even when you're just picking up the application/turning in your resume. Ladies, I
hate saying this with
every cell in my body, but a little bit of make-up honestly
does go a long way to helping you land a job (that's not my opinion - it's been backed up by several scientific studies - I don't agree with it, but it is, what it is...people are hard-wired to have a preference for attractiveness) I'm not saying you've got to raid the cosmetics counter - just give the impression that you put some effort into how you look.
Guys, shave and spring for the button-down shirt over the polo - for extra points, also add a tie.
My prediction, is that anyone who
really wants to become a coder (or beyond), and is willing to match that ambition with serious work ethic in any task they're given; will get a job where they want to work, in the position they want to be in, in a fraction of the amount of time, as they would if they stayed on the beaten-path. If you're out of ideas and try mine,
please let me know how it works out!
Good luck!