tips-for-landing-your-first-job-as-a-medical-office-specialist

Would you love a job in the healthcare industry that provides support and ensure patients receive the right treatments on time? Perhaps you prefer a role that in-directly provides patient care while utilizing your passion for technology. Then you could be ideal for the ever-growing number of medical billing and coding jobs in demand in California.

As a medical biller and coder, your exceptional communication skills, attention to detail, and organizational talents are essential assets needed for medical billing and coding job duties. Soon you’ll be able to fast-track patient treatments, submit insurance claims, and ensure healthcare providers are reimbursed for the treatments provided.

With a huge variety of medical facilities recruiting medical billing and coding jobs, now is a great time to switch to a rewarding career in the healthcare sector. Join us as we explore how you can advance your chances of securing one of the many entry-level medical billing and coding jobs available.

Elevate Your Career Prospects with a Supervised Externship

Did you know that the medical billing and coding job outlook is predicted to grow by 7% between 2021 to 2031, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)? That equates to about 14,900 medical billing and coding jobs each year, on average, over the decade.

So, as the demand for entry-level medical billing and coding jobs continues to rise, certified training colleges such as National Career College provide practical externships to help you stand out. That’s because medical office specialist diploma externships offer an excellent platform to apply skills learned in a supervised, real-life professional environment.

The Advantages of Networking and Engaging in Hands-On Volunteer Work

To gain a competitive advantage over your fellow graduates, be sure to start searching for ‘medical billing and coding jobs near me’ before graduation. However, we also strongly recommend taking advantage of any medical billing and coding opportunities where you can volunteer.

Volunteering helps to demonstrate your commitment to mastering your medical billing and coding job duties by clocking up as much practical experience as possible. Not only will this help you when searching for entry-level medical billing and coding jobs, but it’s also a brilliant opportunity to network with potential future employers.

Before Applying for Medical Billing and Coding Jobs: Create an Impressive Resume

Equipping yourself with the necessary skills to fulfill the medical billing and coding job duties is just the beginning. Creating a superb resume can elevate your employability and make you a stronger candidate. First, however, ensure your Curriculum Vitae (CV) is limited to one page when applying for medical billing and coding jobs.

Start your resume by promoting your qualifications and expertise in core areas such as pharmacology, anatomy, and physiology. Then further capture an employer’s attention by packing it with details of your skills and accomplishments gained through clinical externship and volunteer work, including your understanding of:

  • Medical terminology, law, ethics, and record management
  • Diagnosis and procedural medical coding
  • Medical billing and coding software programs
  • Processing insurance claims

Explore Medical Billing and Coding Jobs and Salary Expectations

As you near graduation, we strongly recommend you search for ‘medical billing and coding jobs near me’ using online job boards, LinkedIn, and healthcare employment forums. This allows you to understand the variety of entry-level medical billing and coding jobs available, but more importantly, the different levels of potential income possible.

For example, in June of 2023, ZipRecruiter estimated that a medical records specialist earned a median annual salary of $57,874 in Los Angeles. However, they also determined that the top 10% in Los Angeles made over $84,039, highlighting the importance of understanding your value in the job market.

After identifying your desired medical billing and coding jobs, now is also an excellent time to leverage your recent business connections for guidance or potential recommendations.

Medical Billing and Coding Jobs: Know How to Impress at Your Interview

Boosted in the knowledge that the BLS has calculated that both the medical billing and coding job outlook and salary expectations are better than average. Our final two tips can help you nail your medical billing and coding position interview.

Firstly, take time before the interview to research commonly asked questions, and practice answering these ahead of time to know how best to respond. Similarly, also ensure you have questions you can ask in the interview, as this is always a hit with hiring managers.

Secondly, take confidence in knowing you’ve completed a medical office specialist diploma. Remember… you've already acquired and honed the skills necessary for many medical billing and coding jobs through your hands-on experience in real-life medical environments.

Kick-start your career here at National Career College…

Here at National Career College in Los Angeles, we constantly strive to help students retrain to pursue medical billing and coding work in California. You, too, can boost your career by transitioning to the healthcare industry with a medical office specialist diploma.

Our fantastic hybrid program allows you to study around your existing commitments and graduate in as little as eight months. With flexible course options, including day and evening classes, you’ll be able to qualify for medical billing and coding jobs in no time.

We also ensure you can hit the ground running with an excellent 180-hour externship program. In addition, National Career College’s comprehensive training program can also equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel at medical billing and coding job duties.

Energize Your Career With A Medical Billing And Coding Diploma From National Career College Today!