I’ve Got My Medical Coding Certification — Now What?

I’ve Got My Medical Coding Certification — Now What?

Many of us find that the moment we get our medical coding certification, we want the job of our dreams to be right there for us! Waiting for the job we’ve worked hard for can be a troubling idea, and many people don’t know where to turn to get hired. What we can offer you is the chance to get hired by using some creative ways of approaching the job market to get hired.

The first thing you will encounter is that you might not have the experience most companies want to hire you on. Something you need to remember is that everyone had to start somewhere. A good idea is volunteering your time at a local doctor’s office. Even if it is only a couple of hours a week, this will build up experience. When you do a good job for this doctor, they will prove to be an invaluable reference who will state that you know what you are doing. In some cases, the doctor might not want to see you go. This can benefit you in a number of ways.

With this in mind, you might also try to get into a hospital doing another job while you are studying for your medical coding certification. This might be something simple, like answering the switchboard, or even janitorial work. Many hospitals will promote internally, and you can potentially make the move easier this way. Best of all, most hospitals will pay for your advanced education, and they will support you during this time.

Volunteering in a nursing home’s office setting can be a great idea too. Many of these organizations have a tough time keeping employees, and they will normally welcome a person coming in and helping them out.

Offer a few hours of volunteer time each week, and focus your addition and making the most out of your medical coding certification. In fact, you can also take your time learning more about the medical coding world while working with these individuals as well. The whole point behind donating a few hours is that it does build experience, as well as references who can state that you did an excellent job.

Something to also keep in mind is that you can potentially subcontract your services out to other companies. While you might not get many people interested in you as first, you might snag a few companies what will be willing to give you a shot. This will allow you to use your medical coding certification right away and begin to build up the experience you need to land a job with a company that you might be interested in.

Temporary agencies are a great way to get into an organization as well. You might not have the experience you need to get hired directly, but some organizations will bring in temps to help them during crunch periods. In some cases, a project can last 30 days or more and get you noticed by the department you are working in.

Use this to your advantage and begin to meet new people in medical coding. These individuals can prove to be beneficial as they might have friends in other companies who know about an opening. This form of networking has the ability to increase your overall chance of success, and get you using your medical coding certification right away.

One thing you will need to avoid is falsifying your resume. While you might get frustrated and want to do whatever it takes to get this job, lying on your resume will harm you. People will see your resume come across their desk, and toss it in the trashcan. If you don’t have experience, be open about it, you can take the steps to get the experience you need and then have the chance to get the job you have your sights set on.

Finally, think about going for an office position that might incorporate some medical coding into it. While it might not be a direct relation to what you are doing, you have the chance to build up some experience doing it. In fact, some coding departments have an admin assistant that might be a good starting point for you. Just don’t give up, and take the time to explore the options you have.