Something to think about:
What would you do if you had invested thousand of dollars in a doctoral program and you spent years of study to write/research a thesis that only a handful of specialists would and could appreciate only to find yourself unemployed or working as an adjunct instructor making very little money with no benefits? And how would you like to find your application one among hundreds for a full-time non-tenured junior faculty gig at a community college?
That, my friend, is the reality of many in today's job market and it is no different for professional coders. The guy or gal taking your order at Starbucks in NYC probably has a master's degree in British Literature and they are doing whatever they can until they find a job in their dream profession.
There are no guarantees that a coding/billing diploma or [even more delusional] that passing a 5.5 hour GENERAL coding competency exam is going to turn into a $40+/hr remote coding job - the "create your own hours dream job" that is falsely advertised all over the internet. I blame the schools along with AHIMA and the AAPC for not doing enough to counter this false advertising. And - sorry to say this - I blame job seekers for not seeing through these dubious claims.
When I was looking for work in a hospital, I paid attention to what the department required and preferred from a potential candidate. I never came across one job posting stating that an 80 hour online CPC prep class and the CPC was sufficient for the position; instead I always encountered the following: strong background in disease process, anatomy and physiology demonstrated by coursework and/ or a degree from a CAHIIM approved program, prior work experience, and an AHIMA credential, usually the RHIT and/or CCS. Equally important was the ability to speak and write clearly in English.
My point is that our credentials - the correct credentials required by the employer - are only one [important] factor in the job search. When I first started out, I thought that if I just passed the CPC and CPC-H exams, then I would get work as a coder in a hospital. I passed but I could not get one interview - not even a call-back. It was not until I completed my AHIMA Coding Basics Program and earned my CCS that I got calls and interviews. And even still, sometimes I was passed up because I did not have sufficient experience. Fortunately, I met some wonderful people in my interviews who saw my determination and commitment demonstrated in my course of studies, my certifications, and my love for the profession and they were willing to give me a chance.
I urge every new coder to read the wonderful advice above that others have given and then ask yourself where you want to work as a coder and what you want to code [inpatient/outpatient, specialty, etc]. And then see if you have the required/preferred qualifications for the job posted. If you do not, then attain some or most of them to become a competitive candidate. But set your sites on a real job - not the make-believe job posted online that promised you lots of $$$$ if you passed a 4 month coding course or earned a diploma from a non-accredited online phony college and then passed the CPC exam. That just sets us up for disappointment.