Work Experience/Jobs
Catch 22. Experience required when you have no experience. However, I've been told: even when employers say "5+ years experience required", and you have very little or NO experience, go ahead and apply for the job anyways. I have a friend who applied for a transcriptionist position back in the day that said 20 years experience required. She applied with NO EXPERIENCE, and she got the job. : )
How did I get any actual coding experience?
I went to a Career Fair at the Community College. I was prepared with several copies of my polished resume (thanks to career counselors and feedback from my professors). I spoke with an HR rep from Legacy, and specifically mentioned my interest in coding and how my values match the company's values, and BOOM. Not even 3 days pass, and I get a call from my professor, setting up my coding externship, which gave me college credit + coding experience.
Today, I finished the coding externship at Legacy Hospital. I'm grateful to now have at least SOME experience coding using Epic and 3M. With my CPC-A, I now at least have a chance at landing a coding job, but I'm willing to start in billing too, as I'm at the very start of my coding career. The truth is: Despite my education and CPC-A, I have to be flexible (job wise and location wise).
Am I applying for Jobs Online? Yes.
Is that the best way to apply for jobs? To be quite honest, no. Why? That throws your resume into a very large digital pile of resumes.
Is it better to apply online AND send your resume and cover letter directly to a Manager or HR rep/director within a company? In my opinion, Absolutely.
Do I have a direct contact within OHSU? Yes. I mailed her my resume and cover letter (old school, I know, but it was successful at establishing a connection), which resulted in a phone conversation about OHSU coding jobs and emails.
Did I apply for OHSU coding jobs online and also send her my resume? Yes.
Do I have a direct contact with Legacy? Yes.
Do I have a direct contact with PeaceHealth? Yes.
Have I done company research for OHSU, Providence, PeaceHealth, and Legacy? Yes.
Do I go to local AAPC meetings? Yes.
I can understand how people get frustrated finding a job. I couldn't find steady employment for over a year. I think it requires self-reflection, determination, a lot of patience, knowing the right people, and timing, as well as a whole host of other things. I think timing is a big part of it; being at the right place at the right time. When I graduated in 2010, the economy was not doing well, but thanks to my family, I was able to live with my parent's for a while, see a career counselor, call people, make connections, and finally, land a job, though at that time, it took 1 year and 7 months to find steady employment.