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I have my CPC-A but its hard for me to land a job because of my lack of experience in the field. Do anyone have tips they can share with me or some advice that I can apply to my job search.
 
new medical coders

moniquepooh@yahoo.com said:
I have my CPC-A but its hard for me to land a job because of my lack of experience in the field. Do anyone have tips they can share with me or some advice that I can apply to my job search.
Click to expand...

Monique, I have had my CPC-A since April and was following a company in order to work remote for them. I am an RN and they told me they only hire RN's and showed me where to go to get certified. They suggested 3 places, I paid my $2,500 and 6 months and passed. I cannot get on with them or anyone else. I am not saying that Medical coding is a scam job, just the companies that make money training you to take the national exam and then you cannot find a job coding. I would like to work remotely, but that is out of the question. I have taken many of the company 'tests' and am unable to pass their 95% rule. [hey, I am a new coder, that is something that I think is not unusual for a new coder]. Anyway, I am going back to nursing as I cannot find anything.
SCAM
 
I'm starting to get the same feeling about coding schools. I read an article in the paper a couple years ago about how coding was an up and coming profession and rapidly expanding. So last fall I signed up for a class at a local junior college and passed the CPC on my first try. Now I see everyone wants 2-3 years experience.

The local paper's website has a job forum. There is a temp agency that has lots of coding jobs listed. So I went down to their office and filled out an application and they told me they only send out experienced coders to clients.

The website here listed two local companies that handle Project X-Tern. I thought even if it didn't pay, it would be experience. Well, both of them told me they didn't have any spots right now for X-Tern. I went to a couple local chapter meetings and asked the chapter president if she knew of any job opportunites for new coders (she had proctored my exam and remembered me as I was the only male there that day) but said she didn't know anything.

Had I known getting into this field was nigh impossible, I wouldn't have wasted over $2,000 on class fees, two sets of books (had to buy 2011 books just for the exam since my class used 2010) and exam fees. I wish I had done more research before plunging into it. Had I read this forum a year ago, I never would have taken the class to begin with.
 
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I passed my exam in April also. I went back to school to get edcated in a field that I thought would land me a secure job. I am a single Mom of 3 and needed to secure our future with field that would not just disappear . I can't find a job anywhere. What A scam you can work from home. Wish AAPC would help us fill our education and hard work.
 
Boy, I am SO sorry you guys are having such a hard time. I've been coding for over 25 years, and I started by working nights as an extra job, registering patients in a rural ER. That led to working for a single physician office entering charges into the computer, then coding his surgeries, and finally moving to a multi-physician office where I handled everything from billing and coding, to the computer updates and even supervised the cleaning crew. I think most of us coding started small, sometimes almost as an afterthought and worked our way up.

Not to knock anyone who wants to better themselves, but some of those schools who advertise that you can work from home, are only doing it to sell the "easy life" to people. Coding definitely isn't easy and no one that I know ever started at the "top". Coding is a profession that has to be constantly groomed and updated and if you are a new coder you may not have all the skills that it takes to work, unsupervised at home. My best suggestion is that you start a little lower on the food chain and look for a related field that will allow you to build experience while climbing the ladder.

Look for a job checking in patients so that you will learn why demographics are so important to billing. Look for something in Medical Records so you can see why privacy and good record keeping is important, not to mention the importance of documentation. Look for something in the Business Office of a physician practice or hospital so that you can see the relationship created by coding and billing a claim. There are lots of places to start and not all of them are as a coder per se. You have to start somewhere, so try broadening your search. Many places take applications on line, but don't stop there, SHOW UP!! Go in person and show them that you are willing to start anywhere to gain experience. Put yourself out there, at your local chapter meetings. Come even if you don't need the CEU's and let people know every time that you are looking. You never know where you will meet your next employer. Hang in there!! You CAN do it!! Maybe not from home, but somewhere!
 
Barbara beat me to my post saying nearly the same thing.

I get so irritated at the places who make misleading statements about what to expect when you complete the course. Those companies may be the scam but I can assure you that the coding profession and AAPC are not the problem or a scam. I have viewed this as my career for many years (I'm also in the 25+ years category) and I too started at the entry level to get my foot in the door and worked my way up. Gaining experience in all of the related areas (billing, medical records, scheduling, etc) is so important in understanding the overall process.

Please do not get discouraged. AAPC is has the Apprentice Community page which has resources available for you. Attend chapter meetings-this is THE place to network and as Barbara stated, you never know when you will meet your next employer.

If you feel down, just get in touch with me or Barbara-we'll give you a pep talk to bring you back up! And believe me, if I were in a position to hire, I would have NO problem hiring a CPC-A if they were the right candidate!
 
I never expected to work from home the day I passed my test. I just never expected even getting an interview would be so difficult.
 
I've been having difficulty find a job too. I took the CPC on 6/18, and found out I passed Friday afternoon. Most places are asking for 2+ years of experience. I have applied to a lot of those, but then there are the ones that say "Do not apply if you don't have enough experience". I've applied for billing/coding as well as medical records, data entry, etc. - haven't heard back from anyone yet. Sent my resume to several employment agencies - nothing. Applied for non-medical jobs - nothing. I can't even get a volunteer position at a local hospital because they have too many high school/college students that are volunteering this summer. I took a course that was 80 hours (equivalent to 1 year experience), so I need another year of experience in order to be able to get the "A" removed. very frustrated that I am having so much difficulty in getting a job.
 
I too am an RN having unbelievable difficulty finding a job. I passed my test first time, and am not even able to find internship or volunteer position. I do believe that coding organizations know the difficulty of finding a job without experience and do not believe this is adequately conveyed. I am fine with an entry level position, but I do want to be coding to get some actual experience, not just answering phones. It has been almost 2 years since I received my certification; I too have a limit on how much money I will spend on a profession that has not returned a dime to me.
 
Experience

I have put forward my thoughts on this very subject several times and will happily do so again.
I paid for an online coding course which really was not very good. In the end the college acknowledged this and paid a partial refund which I was happy with. I guess I did not research the subject enough (I had moved to the US from England making it doubly difficult).
To cut a long story short I self-taught to some extent and took the AHIMA CCA certification which I highly recommend. Having passed the test I applied for a coding job requiring 2-3 years experience preferably in cardiology and holding the CCS-P certification (AHIMA again). I was therefore not at all what they were looking for.
I got an interview (suprisingly there were very few applicants which is often the case here in Florida) and was offered the job. I absolutely love it and have gained further certifications in my two and a half years as a full time coder.
So, do not be discouraged. Register with as many job agencies as possible (Monster and Indeed is what I used and how I found the job) and apply for everything coding-related even if they want experience. As far as remote coding is concerned it most definitely is not an option for those without experience. Those schools that promote it as an option really should be avoided at all costs. They just want your money.
Good luck to all of you who have understandably become disillusioned (I was getting to that stage myself but I was persistent in my quest). Please do not give up. Coding is an exciting and challenging specialty but sometimes you may need to look to alternative certifications such as the one I took. To my mind the CPC is hugely over-subscribed and does not adequately separate the good from the mediocre.
 
Up until recently I was having the exact same issue. I was beginning to wonder if there was anyone out there willing to hire a coder who didn't have experience (rather than volunteering to code for free, which wasn't an option).

The truth is: Yes, there are businesses out there hiring inexperienced coders. The tricky thing is that these positions are filled through word-of-mouth/networking and are rarely advertised. The absolute best way to find a job in this economy is to network as much as possible, which is how I was able to find my job. I found that the local chapter meeting was the best way to network. I attended meetings, chatted up the officers and other members, and volunteered to help at our recent conference. I never would have found my job otherwise.

As a person who is fairly shy and reserved by nature, I really hated networking at first. Then I came to realize that the kind of people who gravitate toward coding are the kind who want to help others out, even if they don't know them very well. It really is worth it to attend meetings and put yourself out there. Also, don't be afraid to let people know that you're actively looking for a job; mention what areas of coding interest you, or might be of interest to you.
 
I do occasionally hire entry-level coders. Your resume is the first thing I look at...and you'd be surprised at how many of them land in the trash because of things that make me wonder about your abilities.

Misspellings. And then you go on to say you pay "attention to detail"??

Funky email address, "cannabisbabe@aol.com". I wish I were joking here. While we're on the topic, I've seen some funky screen names on this board. If your email/screen name tells me you are crazy, sexy, disasterous, or mom to six kids, well, I'm not sure I need the drama in my office. Healthcare is a conservative field.

Overstating your experience. "Mastery of CPT", "Extensive knowledge of.....". All this with no job experience? A CPC-A? It's nice that you think so highly of yourself, but my bull$--- radar shifts into high gear when I read this kind of stuff.

Your resume looks like everyone elses. A local Coding school offers a course to 'assist' new coders with putting together a resume. They all look exactly alike. Exactly. I need to know what sets you apart, and what you've done in the past that you can translate into coding work. Believe it or not, factory workers sometimes make the best coders--they work quickly, are organized and understand deadlines. So tell me that in your resume.

No cover letter. Or a generic one. Find out what my name is, and what I do, and what's different about my hospital, and then I know that you did some research. I need coders who can do research.

Hard to read. Use a conservative font, such as Times New Roman, or Tahoma. I'm not looking for an advertising executive, so leave off the cutesy fonts.

Hope this is helpful. Keep submitting your resume....Network (AAPC meeting contacts are how I hired my last two apprentices), and don't limit yourself to just coding jobs.

Good luck.
 
I like and appreciate your honest comments Pam. It is nice to hear this point of view from someone who is responsible for hiring coders. Thanks for sharing your insight.
 
Who Investigated Before Investing?

I usually try to avoid the controversial posts, however, I think the coding profession is starting to take an unfair beating, so here is my two cents.

First: Pam, I love your post. I see these e-mails and screen names all the time and think the same thing. Your insight on resumes is also very valuable as well.

Second: The medical coding profession is not a scam. It has been targeted in several ways by dishonest individuals, but so have many other professions.

As with any successful career, in any field, individuals must thoroughly investigate it prior to investing, obtain a solid education, work hard, start out in the entry level and grunt work positions, work yourself up the ladder, etc. etc. This also includes marketing yourself, networking, and searching out those available jobs. Volunteer, get involved in your local chapter, and utilize all avenues.

In a slumped economy jobs are harder to find.

A few years ago CPC-A were getting hired at a quicker rate. Now those entry level positions are being filled either by over qualified individuals who just need a job, or they are being eliminated. It is not just medical coding either. College graduates with four year degrees in multiple areas of study are experiencing the same thing all over our nation. I think there are multiple factors to consider here.

Over three years ago I was so fed up with the scams targeting this field so I took my own money and countless hours of my time to create an educational website for individuals considering this career.

The site is a tool to help aspiring coders investigate this field before investing in it. It includes multiple examples of scams to avoid, list requirements (including experience, CEUs, annual fees), and details the difficulties one most overcome (such as obtaining that first job). The site shows up very high in the Google searches along with other educational sites. I know these tools are available to help individuals, so it shocks me that so many are entering this field without a clue of what is expected.

I think researching this career a little more prior to jumping in could have saved much of the frustration that many of you are feeling right now.
 
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I too am sorry for your frustrations and I do understand. Before I finished school I started working at a hospital in registration and after graduation I eventually was able to transfer to the business dept for billing/coding. It didn't happen over night but you have to stay the course, keep up on the changes and start in what ever position will get your foot in the door.

Another opportunity might be to check for small practices with only one provider. Things happen all of the time and staff leave. One down side to working in a private office as a new coder is there is no one there to help when/if you need it. But this forum is wonderful! I know that there are temp agencies that deal strictly in medical so you can try that route also. Good luck and remember there are always options!
 
No jobs

I agree with you all! Work has been outsourced to India and local jobs are few and far between. Makes me sick I spent so much time and money for nothing
 
CPC-A is the problem

I have taken the course, passed the test and have not been able to land a job for over one year now, not even an interview. They don't tell you that if you take the CRC exam, then you won't have the apprentice status and there are more jobs available for that credential. And they don't tell you that they are putting out about 40 new coders every month in my area. The competition is real. I am about ready to confess my mistake and write it off to money down the drain. I can't find any assistance anywhere!!!!!!
SCAM !!!
 
It's unfortunate that so many "schools" are cranking out Coders, Medical Assistants, and others on what amounts to a "promise" that if you take this program and get this certifications *poof* instant career making good money.

The reality is with no experience the certification alone moves your resume from the bottom of the pile to second bottom from the pile. You're still competing against experienced coders. In the age of EMRs and "Meaningful Use" practices are making a bigger deal out of credentials, but the credential alone isn't enough. Especially when smaller practices/groups have ONE biller/coder. Would you hire someone straight out of school to basically control the destiny of your practice?

To be fair to the "schools" ... the jobs are out there. But getting your "foot in the door" might mean taking a job as a Front Office assistant or perhaps a Revenue Specialist or building your resume with other skills. As you beef up your resume with "relevant" work experience (office work, administrative, bookkeeping) and skills (computers, medical terminology, communication skills) your resume starts making its way up in the pile. It also helps to tweak your resume for each job. For example, if they stress computer skills in the ad - make sure your resume leads with that and uses those key words. I volunteered to be the treasurer/bookkeeper for our Homeowner's Association just to put experience with bookkeeping and QuickBooks on my resume.

I think your best prospects are larger group practices that have several coders, billers, revenue specialists, etc.

I know there's little on the planet more depressing than sending your resume to a job you are perfect for and never hearing a peep. But I hope there's a useful tidbit or two in here somewhere. Good luck.
 
There seems to be a sort of bottleneck at work here. When I interviewed for my current job, as well as the new one I just accepted, both places told me with great sincerity 'coders sure are hard to find!'. Meanwhile, I know there are new coders out there that are hungry for work and that might be great if given a chance. So, why the disconnect?

Obviously, experience is a big stumbling block, but it really does seem likely to me that there is a problem with coding credentialing and/or education if employers don't trust them or don't consider a degree and credentials sufficient to identify a coder that's at least worth interviewing. I'd love to see professional associations like AAPC and AHIMA address that in a more serious way.

However, I also kind of feel like one of the key qualities a coder needs is adaptability. This profession has changed and will continue to change as the US healthcare system goes through...whatever it's going through right now. Plus, technology will continue to advance and offshoring is always going to be a threat. If you're looking for coding jobs and not getting nibbles, widen your field of interest a little into other HIT aspects. I temped for a couple months, then worked as a customer service/intake associate for a DME company for a year, and then got a break when a home health company decided to try me as a coder.
 
jlynnhowe said:
However, I also kind of feel like one of the key qualities a coder needs is adaptability. This profession has changed and will continue to change as the US healthcare system goes through...whatever it's going through right now. Plus, technology will continue to advance and offshoring is always going to be a threat. If you're looking for coding jobs and not getting nibbles, widen your field of interest a little into other HIT aspects. I temped for a couple months, then worked as a customer service/intake associate for a DME company for a year, and then got a break when a home health company decided to try me as a coder.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this statement. The profession has changed and will continue to change very quickly. I have read that entry level coding positions will become more and more automated and a coders role will become that of an auditor or editor. There will still be jobs that people with coding knowledge can do but it will probably require branching out into other areas of health information management. All of us, newly certified or not, should be preparing for the future.

Heather CPC
 
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