What is the best way to keep your eyes and your vision in tip-top shape, despite long hours at the computer?  Here’s some advice from Dr. Suzanne Offen, an optometric physician and founder of Offen Eye Associates . . .

Remember, your reading glasses might not be right for computer use. “When people are reading, they typically hold books or magazines about 16 inches away from their eyes,” Dr. Offen explains. “Compare that to 24 inches, which is the typical distance from a computer screen.” Her advice: You might need a separate prescription for the glasses you will use at your computer.

Turn down your office illumination. Dr. Offen states that if you are using a computer, you should keep your office illumination only one-half as bright as you would keep it for other office duties. “This is one of the biggest mistakes that computer-users make,” she states. “And it can really contribute to eye strain and fatigue.”

Avoid using older computer monitors. “Most new flat-screen monitors already cut glare,” Dr. Offen states. “But if you have to use an older monitor, equip it with an anti-glare screen.” Also: To further reduce eye strain, don’t locate your computer near a bright window.

Review your prescription if you wear contact lenses. First, you might need a different prescription if you work at your computer for extended periods. But there’s another reason too. “Many computer users complain of eye dryness,” Dr. Offen states, “which happens because people generally blink less often when they are using a computer. If you wear contact lenses, this problem can often be helped by changing to a lens for users who complain of dry eyes.”

Take breaks. “I recommend that computer-users take one 20-minute break every two or three hours,” Dr. Offen says.

Dr. Suzanne Offen is a board certified optometric physician in New York and New Jersey. She received her Doctor of Optometry from the State University of New York and has been practicing optometry since 1983. She began her practice in 1987 in Westfield, New Jersey. In 1988 Dr. Offen became certified as a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and became board certified in children’s vision.

Here’s a question for medical billers and coders . . .

Exactly when did your career start?

If you stop to think about it, you will probably realize that your career didn’t begin when you got your first job.  It actually started on the day when you walked into a classroom and began your training.

It only makes sense that great students tend to have an easier time starting their careers.  Their strong grades often give them an edge over other job-seekers. They tend to get better recommendations from their former instructors too.

So how can you be a training standout?  Here’s some advice:

Dress one step ahead. If you dress like a working professional, people will see you in that role – and will think of you first when professional opportunities arise.

Project a positive attitude – even in early-morning classes. Stand tall when you walk into the classroom. Greet the instructor. Smile, sit up, and maintain eye contact as you listen to what your instructor has to say. Then thank the instructor when class is over.

Keep your textbooks and course materials organized, protected and clean. It shows that you are taking your training seriously. Also: Never forget your course materials. But if you do, avoid calling attention to the problem.

Be a great colleague in shared activities and projects. If you show that you are a good team member, people will notice and remember you.

Show strong interest in everything you learn. One good way? Ask questions that dig for information that was not covered in class.

Don’t disappear when your coursework is over. Come back to visit your former instructors. Explain how you are applying the skills you learned in class, and talk about your new achievements. Remember, students who keep in touch come to mind first when instructors hear about new opportunities.

Do you have more training strategies to recommend? Why not take a moment to share them here with other members of the billing and coding community?

To ensure that you get the most out of the Career Services Department, Medical Billing and Coding Blog has outlined some of the important benefits of the department.  Here are a few tips in taking advantage of all that Career Services has to offer:

Assistance with Resume Writing

Your resume is one of the most important documents in your job search. Having a professional, well-written, and neatly organized resume can go a long way in impressing your potential employer. The Career Services Department has specialists who can walk you through the resume writing process, and ensure that you present yourself well to potential employers.

Interviewing Tips

The Career Services Department also specialize in teaching crucial career tips, such as offering mock interviews and advice on “dressing for success”. It is extremely important to enter an interview prepared and confident in your candidacy for the position, and our Career Services Department focuses on preparing students for these critical interviews.

Job Opportunities

Where are the jobs available? This is the most important question when beginning your job search. Luckily, the Career Services Department remains well-informed on what positions employers are hiring, and the type of candidates for which they are searching. This is another reason why it is imperative for you to remain connected to the Career Services Department – they are in the loop on job information, and can help you apply to the right positions for you. Read the rest of this entry »

What does it take to work at home? What are the biggest mistakes to avoid?

We asked those questions to a man who has worked from his home office for 20 years.  Here’s his advice on getting the most from working at home:

• Plan to go through a transition period. Don’t expect to like home work right away. It can take six months or a year to get the feel for it.

• Remember, you are going to get a ton of work done quickly. When you work from home, there are no time-wasting meetings, no chatting at the water cooler.  “In my first year at home,” our home-working pro explains, “I would be tired by noon, wondering `Why did I run out of steam?’ It was because I had already done as much work as I would have done in a full day in my old office setting.” His solution? “After three or four hours of work, I head to the gym for a workout. Then I come back refreshed in the afternoon.”

• Make the most of your peak mental hours. It can be a good idea to tackle intensive work early in the day, then use the afternoon for keeping records, filing papers and other routine tasks that require less mental edge.

• Don’t chat and socialize during your work time. “When I first started working at home, I was lonely,” our expert explains. “I would have long personal chats with the FedEx delivery person, telemarketers, everybody.”  Now he keeps those contacts short and calls a real friend for a cool-down chat after his day’s work is finished.

• Work in time blocks. For example, you can do your computer inputting for three uninterrupted hours every morning, then check your email for 30 minutes – but don’t mix up the two. Working without interruption dramatically boosts productivity. Read the rest of this entry »

CNNMoney.com released an interactive slideshow that provides several different key factors in locating and getting hired at the job that you want. The presentation, created by Jia Lynn Yang in April, 2009, is called “How to Get a Job”, and is “an interactive guide to navigating the worst job market of your lifetime”.  We have broken down the guide into five major points that you should follow in locating, and securing, the right job for you.

Target Your Search

When searching for a job it is very important that you narrow down your options so that you are applying to positions that best fit your skill set. You should apply to places at which you are well-suited and will thrive, making you an obvious choice for the position.

Leverage Your Networks

After you locate a potential employer, reach out to anyone you know who can prepare you for the interview. The more advice you get from people in, or with knowledge of, the industry, the better off you will be. Do your own research as well, so you enter the interview as prepared as possible to impress the interviewer, and convince them that you are right for the job.

Match Your Skills to Their Needs

Once you familiarize yourself with your potential employer, and what they are looking for in an applicant, make sure you cater your resume and experiences to meet their specific needs. If you are applying for a job as an administrative assistant in a medical office (like many billers and coders do), be sure to focus your discussion on your strong organizational and administrative skills. Optimizing your selling points and resume to meet the needs of your employer will go a long way in getting hired. Read the rest of this entry »

Your goal in a job interview is to show that you fit in, right?  No, wrong, according to Debra Benton, a top leadership coach and author of CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization and other bestselling books.

According to Benton, your goal should be to stand out in interviews, not fit in. Here’s her advice on how you can make that happen.

Make a winning first impression. Walk in tall, make eye contact, shake hands, and say something like, “I am pleased to meet you. How are you today?”  Show your strength from the beginning.

Control the flow of questions. If the interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself,” say, “Shall I tell you about my family or my work life first?” By influencing the interview in this way, you stand out from candidates who simply answer questions one at a time.

Tell memorable stories that the interviewer can repeat about you. You didn’t just “attend school.” You went because three of your high school teachers (or your minister or the members of your softball team) believed in you and sponsored you. Tell stories! They make you come alive in the mind of your interviewer – and in the minds of the people he or she talks to about you.

Ask a lot of questions. The more curious and interested you are, the more you learn about the company. And be sure to ask these three questions, in your own words:

1. “What does your company want to achieve?”
2. “What are you doing well now that you want to maintain?”
3. “What problems do you want to avoid?”

These questions show that you will be a contributor, not just another name on the payroll. Read the rest of this entry »