According to Randall S. Hansen, founder of QuintCareers, cold calling potential employers can be a highly effective way to discover unadvertised jobs and get interviews with employers. “Cold calling, or uninvited job-hunting, is a proven method of finding employment,” writes Hansen on his blog. “When you consider that four-fifths of the job market is `closed,’ meaning you can’t find out about available job openings unless you dig for them – prospect for them – this method of job-hunting takes on great importance.”

Hansen recommends using cold-calling as one part of this job-hunting strategy:

First, identify potential employers in your area.

Second, call those employers and ask the person who answers the phone for the names of managers who hire people for the kind of job you are seeking.

Third, send a strong cover letter and resume to each of those hiring managers.

Fourth, call those managers to ask for an informational interview – not a job interview. In an informational interview, you ask general questions about gaining an entrée into the profession or about other potential employers in the area. Hanson explains, “Even if the majority of them say there are no current openings, interviewing with them gives you the opportunity to dazzle them – and then ask for referrals to other employers who might have job openings available.”

Is your work area more cluttered than calming? If so, here’s a selection of clever, innovative products that can speed your workflow. All are available at popular office superstores and online retailers – and all are priced at $25 or less.

To organize files . . .

Inclined desktop file sorters keep your working files upright and organized neatly. Because the files in the back of the sorter are positioned higher than those in the front, it is easy to see and retrieve the files you need.

Products: Rolodex MeshTop Sorter ($11.99). Popular office superstores sell other models too (about $11.00).

Wall-mounted file pockets hold files and paperwork in little bins that attach to the wall. We like the clear plastic models, because they let you see what’s inside.

Product: Deflect-o Docupocket (about $10.00 for one). Also see competing models from popular office superstores (about $19 for a pack of three).

Colored file folders let you easily organize projects by color – and find them faster.

Products: Pendaflex CutLess File Folders ($9.00 for a pack of 100). Also see competing products from popular office superstores at similar prices.

To free up desktop space . . .

Rotating desk organizers store paperclips and other supplies in one small “lazy Susan” that takes up very little desktop space.

Products: Deflecto Rotary Carousel Organizer ($21.99). Similar products are available from other manufacturers.

Computer monitor stands lift your monitor a few inches above your desk surface, freeing up desk space for other purposes.

Products: Allsop Metal Art Jr. Monitor Stand ($19.99). Similar products are available from other manufacturers at slightly higher prices.

Under-desk keyboard drawers let you store your keyboard out of the way, freeing up desktop space.

Products: Innovera Standard Keyboard Drawer ($19.00). Similar products are available from other manufacturers at slightly higher prices.

To make work faster and easier . . . Read the rest of this entry »

If you are offered a second or a third job as a medical biller and coder, should you take it?

It can be tempting to say yes. After all, logging only a few hours in the evening could provide extra income. If a local urgent care center, chiropractor or other care provider has a backlog of insurance claims to process, the result can be a second income stream for you.

So if you are offered an additional job, should you take it?

Only you know whether you have the extra time to invest in a second or third job. But one other important consideration can come into play:

Did you sign a non-compete agreement with your current employer? A non-compete agreement could have been a separate document that your employer required you to sign – or it might have been a small clause buried in other paperwork you signed when you accepted  your current job. If you signed a non-compete, you agreed not to work for one of your employer’s competitors for a specified period of time after you left your current job.

To learn more about non-compete clauses, take a few minutes to read about them in About.com’s online library of articles about Human Resources.

How enforceable are non-compete clauses? At least one recent court case has raised that issue. In case your current employer decides to question your right to work for another organization, to be safe, you  might consider the issues before you start moonlighting..

So, to moonlight or not to moonlight? It’s a question to weigh carefully as you expand your earnings and build your career.

You probably know the two types of resume formats – chronological and functional.  The question is, which format will work hardest to get you a job as a medical biller and coder

In most cases, it depends on where you are in your career.

• A chronological format could work best if you have already started your career as a medical biller and coder, because it highlights the jobs that you have held in the past.

• A functional format could be your best choice if you are seeking your first job, because it emphasizes the skills you have learned in school, not your past job experience.

There are other resume formats too. If your background includes both previous jobs and skills you learned in school, you may need to create a mixed-format resume that presents both effectively.

How do you decide which format is best for you? Here are some excellent online sources of advice that can help you make the best choice:

• MSN Careers offers an extensive library of free articles about writing resumes, including one that helps you format a resume if you have held a number of short-term jobs.

• HowToWriteaResume.net gives advice on choosing the format that is best for you, along with templates you can use to build your resume online. Note: Some services on this site require payment.

• ResumeResource.com lets you review about 200 sample resumes in different formats, including one designed for people who are changing careers.

And if you’re procrastinating about writing your resume . . .

“Five Tips for Better Resume Writing,” an article Dummies.Com, offers an upbeat overview of the process that can help you jumpstart your writing and get started today.

You’ve asked professors and professional contacts to write letters of recommendation for you. But how can you be sure that those letters are doing all they can to help you land jobs?

You’ll find some great advice on this topic in the article “How to Obtain and Use References and Recommendation Letters” by Maureen Crawford Hentz, writing on the QuintCareers.com Website.

Here are just three nuggets of Hentz’s wisdom:

-     Ask indirectly. Hentz recommends emailing your possible referrers to ask for references, not speaking with them directly. The reason? An email allows them to gracefully turn you down if they want. Getting a “no, thank you” is preferable to getting a lukewarm recommendation from someone who didn’t really want to write it for you.

-     Don’t ask for references at the last minute. Instead, collect letters of reference over time, from people who have good things to say about you. When you build a portfolio of references this way, you can later pick and choose the best of them.

-     Supply documentation. If you are asking for a reference for a specific job, give your referrer your resume and a description of the position you are applying for. Also point out how your abilities match the job. That allows your referrer to write a letter that spells out why you are a great fit for the job.

For more good advice on getting references . . .

Watch “Tips for Collecting Job References,” a video from consultant Tine Buechler on YouTube.

Which office chairs provide the back support you need during long workdays at your desk? Here are some must-have features that are recommended by Chiropractor Dr. Rodney K. Lefler on Spine-Health.com:

• The seat height should adjust easily, allowing you to sit with your feet flat on the floor and your arms even with the desk surface.

• The seat should tilt, and should be deep enough to let you sit with your back against the backrest.

• There should be a lumbar support that adjusts for both height and depth, so you can find a setting that supports the inward curve of your lower back.

• The backrest should be adjustable for both angle and height.

• The fabric should be breathable, and padding should be thick enough to provide comfort during long periods of use.

• Armrests should be adjustable up and down, so your arms can rest comfortably on them while your shoulders are relaxed.

• Swiveling should be easy, so you can turn easily to reach different articles in your work area.

For more information on picking the desk chair that is best for your back, watch Watch Your Back, a video from Spine-Health.com.

Those are the basics. But which chairs fill the bill? You’ll find reviews of popular models online at ConsumerSearch.com and at Galt Home.

Buying a good chair for a great price . . .

Consider buying a used desk chair. Due to the current wave of company downsizings, lots of used office furniture is currently available – some at liquidation prices. To find a company that sells used office equipment in your area, visit the Yellow Pages online or search online for “used office equipment.”

After hours of working on your computer do you find that your wrists are sore and tired? If you are planning on entering a career in medical billing and coding, wrist fatigue could be a huge factor in preventing you from working efficiently. Medical Billing and Coding Blog has outlined the key medical problem associated with wrist fatigue, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndome?

According to WebMD, Carpal tunnel syndrome “occurs when the median nerve becomes pinched due to swelling of the nerve or tendons or both. The median nerve provides sensation to the palm side of the thumb, index, middle fingers, as well as the inside half of the ring finger and muscle power to the thumb. When this nerve becomes pinched, numbness, tingling and sometimes pain of the affected fingers and hand may occur and radiate into the forearm.”

What causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and what are its symptoms?

While there are several possible causes of the disorder, normally it springs from repeated movement of the arms, wrists or hands, often times by typing at a computer for long hours. If you work long days on a computer and your hands and/or fingers feel tingly or numb at night, or if you experience a burning or shooting pain up your forearm, you could have a case of carpal tunnel syndrome.

How to Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

According to WebMD, to prevent this wrist fatigue disorder you can:

• Sleep with your wrists straight or use a splint.
• Keep your wrists straight when using tools but try not to use splints.
• Avoid flexing and extending your wrists repeatedly.
• Perform conditioning and stretching exercises.

How Can I Cure Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Read the rest of this entry »

In this field we talk a lot about HIPAA, and many call it “the privacy act” or “security rule”.  Its true intention is the portability of the insurance coverage in order to provide continuity of coverage for workers and their families when they lose or change jobs.

The law covers several items related to safety and security of a patient’s information – things like responsibilities, verification, validation and training, amongst others.

One area that is worth  mentioning is Safeguards; this is the ensuring that confidential information remains secure.

All entities must have in place appropriate safeguards to ensure the protection of a person’s confidential information.  These security measures as described by HIPAA include administrative, technical and physical safeguards.  And many times we assume these are taking place. But do we really focus and protect our patient’s information on a continual basis?

Administrative safeguards require us to verify a patient and or their due representative.  Do we have signatures on file? Do we verify these every time we’re asked to provide information to persons other than the patient?  A good idea would be to include in the patient’s record a photocopy of their identification; this ID should be state issued. Read the rest of this entry »

“Hot Jobs: Medical Coders Are in Great Demand,” an article by Scott Andron in The Miami Herald, reports encouraging news about the growing need for medical billers and coders in Florida.  “Health information management might be for you, and a job as a medical coder might be the place to start,” Andron writes.

The Miami Herald is not the only publication that is optimistic about opportunities for medical billers and coders in Florida. According to Orlandojobs.com’s Employment Outlook for Central Florida report, healthcare jobs are among the fastest growing employment opportunities in Florida. The report points to fast-growing opportunities for physical therapists, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical coders and medical billers.

What’s driving this growth? One significant force is the construction of new medical facilities in the state. One of the more promising could be the planned “medical city” in Orlando’s Lake Nona area. According to a recent article in The Orlando Business Journal, the development of this medical and research park has the potential to create 30,000 high-paying jobs in just a decade.

So, is Florida a good place to start and grow your career as a medical biller and coder? It certainly seems to be. We’ll be watching the trends in Florida and other states in the coming months and reporting on them here.

Are you currently working or planning to work from home? Are you concerned about the huge amounts of data that are piling up on your home computer? Billing and Coding Blog has outlined some of the best data backup systems, and their benefits for home-workers.

Carbonite – This online data backup system installs a small application on your computer that automatically backs up data on your computer for only $54.95 per year. This price remains the same regardless of how much data you need to back up! Carbonite goes to sleep when you are active on your computer, and the software only works while your computer is idle; this ensures that you never lose any speed or functionality while you work! Click here for more information and to start your free trial.

Other online storage services to consider: VaultLogix, Data Deposit Box

External Hard-Drives – These serve as extensions of your computer’s hard drive and are available in a variety of sizes and prices, depending on how much data you need to backup. Depending on the speed of your computer, and the size of your hard drive, backing up your data could be a time consuming process. Also, if you lose the hard drive – which can be as small as a wallet – all your data will be gone.

Click here to read PC World’s list of the Top 10 External Hard Drives

CD/DVD – This is the cheapest available option, and since most PCs are now equipped with CD burners, there are few obstacles in getting started. Since this is the cheapest option, however, there are some concerns; it can take considerable time and discs to backup large drives, and CDs can be easily scratched and ruined without proper caution. If you only need to backup a little bit of crucial data, and are confident in your care for the discs, then CD/DVD may be your best option for data backup.

Do you have any advice on the best data backup options? Please leave us a comment and let us know what has worked for you!