How do I start my career in the field of medical billing?
When people are still students or new graduates they often think: “I know all this great stuff, I did really well in school, and I’m great at this, I’m going to get a job really quickly!” Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. It isn’t necessarily that specific person, it has to do with experience. The number one question students ask is how am I supposed to get any experience if no one will hire me without experience? And so that’s the new graduate lament.
It’s the entry-level positions that are key. No matter what field you’re in, when you graduate from college you’ll move into an entry-level position. There are very few fields where you get out of college and immediately step into a job with a giant salary using everything you learned. If you start talking to your instructors you’ll find out they all started in a lower-level position and worked their way up.
Your journey to the career you want started when you enrolled at Laurus College. However, you do not have to wait until you graduate to kick-start your career! There are several things you can do right now.
Where to Apply
It’s great if you can get your foot in the door at a small medical practice. However, if you can secure your first position working for a large multi-physician practice, a large clinic organization, or a large medical billing company, you’ll be working for an employer that has all the positions. Once you get into the company and they’ll learn the stuff you’re made of. They’ll start to move you up right there under the same roof. There are much more opportunities in a larger employer like a big hospital system with a lot of outpatient services. Our Career Services Department can help you pinpoint the right places to apply.
Job Searching
You can take any medical billing position and add “entry level” to the beginning to find entry-level jobs. These positions don’t require as much experience or even any experience. Some of them even say hiring new graduates or new graduates encouraged to apply. These are ways to get in the door.
All of these job titles and many more:
- Entry Level Jobs
- Medical Front Office
- Medical Receptionist
- Medical billing assistant
- Claims Processor/Biller
- Medical Billing Clerk
Networking
The number one way to find a really good job in the field is hearing them from other people in the field especially. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in an AAPC meeting and someone will say “hey if you’re looking for a job, we need a biller, talk to me afterwards if you’re intersted” Networking in any field is a tremendous way to get notified of a good job. A lot of really good jobs never even get advertised.
- Get to know the people in YOUR doctor’s office
- Local chapters of membership organizations
- Conferences
- Discussion forums/blogs (AAPC link)
- Other students
- Your instructors
- Social media
Membership Organizations
One of the best ways to get started in networking is by joining the local chapter of a membership organization. For example, I often attend the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) meetings. Typically these meetings welcome students to attend and I encourage anyone interested in attending any AAPC meetings to email me and we will send you a link to the next meeting.
You’re welcome to log in and see what it’s like. It’s usually educational, there’s always a topic, and often a guest speaker, notes on keeping up with the field and it’s great! To join into the meeting as a Laurus College student there is no fee to attend and watch.
Professional association membership provides you with a network and a community of peers, mentors, and resources. You can also attend conferences, webinars, workshops, and local chapter meetings. Learn, network, and get to know other professionals in your field.
- American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- American Medical Billing Association (AMBA)
- American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
Certification
Getting certified is a tremendous step in any professional field. People get certifications in different fields and medical billing is no different. Certified professional billers earn more than non-certified billers. AAPC has done an annual salary survey and they say they make about 57,000 a year on average.
There are numerous certifications you can qualify for. AAPC offers apprentice certifications open to entry-level coders. When you pass the CPC or COC exam, you receive your CPC-A or COC-A credential with an apprenticeship standing. By fulfilling the 2-year experience requirement and submitting proof the A will be removed. You can also qualify with proof of 80 contact hours of a medical coding preparation course which you will meet after just two classes in the medical billing program at Laurus College.
AAPC
- Certified Professional Biller (CPB)
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Certified Outpatient Coder (COC)
- Certified Professional Coder – Apprentice (CPC-A)
- Certified Outpatient Coder – Apprentice (COC-A)
AHIMA
AMBA
Customize Your Resume
Many employers use software called applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes based on the requirements of the role. If you want to pass this initial electronic screen, your professional resume needs to be tailored for a specific position.
- Step 1: Analyze the job description
- Step 2: Match your resume’s target job title to the job listing
- Step 3: Tailor your skills to match the key terms in the job description
- Step 4: Highlight your skills on the top third of the resume
- Step 5: Confirm your location (city and state)
Practice Interviews Make a Difference
Always practice interviewing before going to an interview. You cannot go on an interview without practicing especially if it’s been a while and especially if you aren’t good at interviewing. At Laurus College, the Career Services department can do a mock interview with you, or you can ask an instructor in the medical billing department.
All interviewers ask “general” questions, and you will also be asked questions more specific to the position. Being prepared with good answers will help you to feel confident and comfortable during the real interview, and will allow you to present yourself in the best way possible!
For example, when an interviewer asks you, “Tell me about yourself,” what they are asking is “tell me why I should hire you for this job.” You tailor your answer to the role/position and the company, keep it professional, and don’t say anything personal.
Practice interviews are a great, stress-free way to build your confidence and sharpen your skills. As with anything the more often you spend time running through commonly asked questions, the better you’ll get at answering them.
