Finding a Medical Coding Job

This morning, I was sitting in my favorite chair, drinking coffee, scrolling through some articles, and comments on LinkedIn. One thing that jumped out at me was the difficulty in finding a medical coding job that does NOT require experience (sound familiar to any of you CPC-As?) I've seen the posts for a while now and can feel the discouragement from coders looking for a job. I don't know if it's end-of-year reflection, being on vacation and not having my mind filled with work, or what, but I identified a need for some guidance and wanted to share some tips and ideas on how to do a job search for new coders.

Depending on which organization you were certified through, joining your local/state-associated chapters is strongly suggested. On the AAPC website, you would sign into their portal and then, under your information/account site, set your chapter location preferences. The nice thing about this is that you can select multiple locations. If you're located in a specific city, look to join other local chapters. It provides you with a much larger networking base. Yes, I used the term "networking," which is an intimidating word; more on that in a bit. On the AHIMA website, the chapters are at the state level. In my case, it would be the Florida Health Information Association or FHIMA; in Alabama, it would be the Alabama Health Information Association or AAHIM, etc. I stress using multi-locations as some chapters are very small or less active than your larger chapters. Also, join the association's blogs and Q&A discussions online – you will get great information and find other coders actively involved in these resources who love sharing information and providing support. Both AAPC and AHIMA have job boards as well.

Now, back to "networking" – when I hear that word, my mind automatically goes to conferences, lectures, workshops, or other large gatherings of people involved in coding. Networking is not limited to large groups but can be as small as an elevator pitch. However, I freeze up as I'm more of an introvert. I can educate and speak on various aspects of what we do to any size group, but extending myself one-on-one is still challenging and is always on my long-term goals list. Always remember that word of mouth goes a long way in networking. You will find, over time, that the coding world is small and some people may have heard of you even before you meet them.

I've run into the same people at different jobs over my years as a coder/auditor. It is essential to build those relationships with other coders, whether it is through your job or, as a new CPC-A, your coding associations. I can't say that every coder you come in contact with will be helpful. Still, for the most part, we're a group of folks who want to see our profession grow, help others with their career paths, build relationships that improve our mutual skill sets, and be a resource for coding questions. I have been very good friends with a coder whom I met almost 18 years ago, and while our paths have led in various directions, she is still my go-to for questions, discussions, venting, or just sharing a cup of coffee over the phone.

Get to know the local chapter's key team members – president, vice-president, secretary, etc. There is a reason they are in those positions: use their knowledge and any information they offer. I have had great success when tapping into these key members. Go to the monthly chapter meetings and commit to doing this. I know you're tired after a long day, but unless you meet these people face to face, establish a connection, and reinforce that connection, any assistance you may need may not be a priority to them. Do not under-value these connections – they have years of coding under their belts and a vast supply of information you would benefit from.

Now to get down to the weeds – the actual online job hunt. Most companies seek "experienced coders" which may make a new coder want to skip over and not read the job description (keep reading). I suggest reviewing the job descriptions to identify any areas of coding where you might need additional education and pursue that education. It will come in handy at a later time.? Continue to apply for positions with well-known organizations such as hospitals, insurance companies, etc., but don't limit yourself to only these sites. Contact the various 3rd party payers/vendors such as Optum, Cotiviti, Himagine, CodeEMR, etc.

Use resources such as search engines and fine-tune your keyword search. Some coding search engines include*:

·??? jobsbear

·??? indeed

·??? flexjobs

·??? glassdoor

·??? virtualvocations

·??? carecloud

·??? simplyhired

·??? ziprecruiter

·??? jobsrapido

Keyword searches could include*:

·??? medical coding

·??? medical coder

·??? risk adjustment (more on this in a minute)

·??? CPC-A, CPC, CRC, etc.

·??? medical billing

Research staffing agencies for medical coders*:

·??? Cioxx

·??? Optum

·??? CSI

·??? Maxim

·??? Change Health

·??? Insource

(* - there are many other sites)

As you search these sites, note how the job description is worded. Tailor your resume to include some of these specific terms or phrases. It's well-known that many resumes, regardless of the industry, are initially processed through optical character recognition (OCR) or natural language processing (NLP) software. This software looks for keywords in the resume; if not found, the resume is discarded before any human eyes look at it.

Back to another point, using a credential in a search. Using other credentials/certifications (certified risk adjustment coder (CRC), certified outpatient coder (COC), and certified documentation improvement (CDIP), etc.) can help you identify other sources for employment. It doesn't matter if you don't have the certification the employer is looking for; it provides you with another potential site to search for a position. Do NOT apply for any position that you are not qualified for. Research the site or employer who posted the coding position to see if there are other coding positions with that same employer that you might fit into or different keywords that you could use in your general internet search. I can't tell you the number of times I've updated some of the language in my resume. It is often a word or title that needs to be updated in my resume to more closely align with the potential employer's job description - think OCR/NLP here. NEVER adjust your resume to fit a position you are not qualified for.

I don't recommend sending out resume "blasts"; however, some sites do encourage this. Make a list/spreadsheet/workboard, etc., of whom you contact. Be aware of the job you want, and write down the sites/employers/agencies where you have submitted your resume and the person you spoke with or interacted with. This person is your point of contact and your resource for a potential job. Take the time to get to know this contact person. Send them follow-up emails or calls, or take a moment to email them just to say “hello.” The more they hear from you, the greater the chance of a return call at some point for a potential position. This step is invaluable for establishing communication and building a relationship with someone who may be able to help you at some time in the near future.

A final word on recruiters. Recruiters get inundated with resumes each day for any number of different positions. If you don't hear back from them, don't take it personally; they have quite a bit on their plates. Instead, follow up with them. Be proactive in your job search. Let them see how much you would like that job, and be persistent! After a few emails or phone calls, they will remember your name, and if something should open up, you are far more likely to be contacted by them rather than having to start all over with a new resume submission.

In conclusion, remember at least the following; the critical points of getting involved with your local association, becoming "visible" to key stakeholders, tailoring your resume to the job you're looking for, and being persistent with recruiters. I can't guarantee that these things will land you a job, but they will at least help structure how you search for one.

I hope these tips will assist you in your job search. Good luck!!