How to Overcome Lack of Work Experience

New Medical Coding and Billing Program Graduates:

How to Overcome Lack of Work Experience

More and more employers who hire medical billing and insurance coding staff are looking for professionals with one to two years experience in the field. New graduates find it hard to land their first job without it. They always seem to fall into the controversial "I can't get work without experience, and I can't get experience without work" rut, which is hard to escape. However...

Although this is always a challenge, there are ways to overcome lack of work experience when applying for a job. The trick is to highlight other selling points and making a good impression.

• Request an appointment with the human resource manager or nurse supervisor to learn what they are looking for. Find out if there is room for exceptions. Tell them what you can offer their facility and how great of an asset you will be.
• Try to offer your service by volunteering. Mention relevant skills you have, such as your accomplishments while you were in school, or college; include scholastic awards and --most importantly: mention your externship! Time spent in a medical office in form of the externship is work experience.
• Never arrive empty handed. Be prepared to mention how satisfied your former employers, field supervisors, clients, andinstructorss were, supported by as many letters of recommendation that you can get.
• Anyone attending a job fair should bring several copies of a well written resume, dress professionally, and be prepared for on-the-spot interviews.
• Southern University Career Services Baton Rouge, Louisiana suggests the following dos and don'ts for women dressing for an interview:
  
  1. Dress in a simple and clean manner.
  2. Select clothing appropriate for the job you are interviewing for.
  3. Wear natural colored hose.
  4. Wear plain shoes with closed heels and toes.
  
  
  Those who do not have a business attire should select clothing appropriate for the job such as crisp clean scrubs, along with a name tag, professional badge, and sparkling white nurse's shoes.
  
• Discuss other valuable skills you've under your belt, such as those acquired through activities in community groups, volunteer work, or even personal interests. Don't forget courses, workshops, or seminars taken outside the medical assisting profession, for example in sales, interpersonal communication, languages, customer services, data entry, computer applications, and word-processing.

All this can help to convince a new employer, that although you may not have the requested amount of work experience in your new role as a medical assistant, you are certainly worth their attention and consideration for the job.

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