So remember when you were taking medical coding classes–how did you envision your future? Did you think it would be easy to find a job right away? I’ve talked about this before and I won’t name any specific names…but did your school straight up tell you or even imply that you’d walk right into your first coding job? I’ve talked to so many people in the industry over the years and many people thought it would be easy. But to their surprise, when they got out, they could not get a coding job. Don’t get me wrong–there were a few people who found jobs right away, but most did not.
I often wondered–what happened to these people? Did they try for another job in the industry? Did they quit and go into a completely different field? They spend all this time and money going through their classes and earning their certification…but could not find a job. This really bothered me. It bothered me to the point that I felt compelled to try to do something about it.
I want to try to help new coders get jobs! There are so many jobs that medical coders can do–such as billing, working denials, obtaining authorizations… Even though these jobs are not specifically coding, they require a working knowledge of codes–which obviously a coder has! These jobs can potentially lead to coding job down the line.
Of course I want to help coders get a medical coding job too that’s without saying. I just can’t promise that because of how the industry is set up. Many places require a few years experience and will not hire someone without it. But not all though. I recently saw a post on LinkedIn and the poster was a hiring manager. She said she definitely would hire a new coder because they are eager to learn and do well. So there are people out there who will still hire a new coder!
Ok so why am I telling you this you might ask? For the last few months, I’ve been putting together an online class geared for medical coders who are looking to get their first job in the industry.
- An open mind about the different jobs you can do
- A completed resume
- Know the different types of jobs to apply to
- Know where to look for these jobs
- A completed LinkedIn profile
- At least 10 LinkedIn connections
- Know common interview questions and how to answer them
- You will be applying for jobs in the healthcare industry
