Resume Tips for Getting a Career in Medical Billing and Coding

Creating a resume can be an intimidating task. While it’s easy to find a template, it’s sometimes difficult to know exactly what and how much information to include. Employers receive many resumes from people seeking the same position, so it’s important to make yours stand out from the crowd.

When you’re building a resume for the purpose of getting a medical billing or coding position, you should be aware that many employers are looking for people with both skill sets. Both professions communicate medically necessary information by translating medical documentation into standardized codes. Medical billing jobs focus on providing accurate, timely reimbursement, while medical coding jobs are focused on providing a complete picture of a medical encounter. Both professions work to provide accurate information, though medical coders deal in a wider variety of codes and medical billers know more about commercial insurance requirements and matters pertaining to filing claims.

  • When building your first resume, don’t be discouraged by your lack of experience. Sometimes, new graduates possess knowledge of more up-to-date technology and practices than people who have been out of school for a while. Instead of being concerned about your experience, focus on making your resume look as professional as possible.
  • Keep it simple. At the top of your resume, list your name and accurate contact information. Get an email address for business correspondence to provide a more professional appearance. If you would like to include an objective, keep it down to one or two sentences. Keep the font simple and consistent, check your resume for spelling and grammatical errors, and use relevant keywords to make your resume stand out. Use bullet points and make sections stand out from each other but steer clear of wordiness, fancy fonts and borders.
  • Make a list of your skills and qualifications. Feel free to use abbreviations and acronyms, because employers will understand the terms that apply to the field of medical billing and coding. Some skills and areas of knowledge you’ll need to secure this kind of position include:
    • ICD 9 and ICD 10
    • Medical terminology
    • Medical laws and ethics
    • Electronic health records
    • MS Word
    • 10 Key
    • Charting
    • HIPAA
    • Customer service
    • Anatomy
    • Professionalism
    • Communication
    • CPT
  • Be sure to include all relevant information. Your resume should highlight your education, certification, work experience and membership in any professional organizations and associations. You should also talk about your extracurricular activities, particularly membership in clubs, volunteer work, community service projects and anything else that shows your leadership qualities, ability to work as a member of a team and social skills.
  • Talk to your references ahead of time. Prospective employers may or may not ask for references, but it’s a good idea to have them ready. Before you apply, ask three or four people you know professionally if they would be willing to provide a reference.

The right resume will help you land the job you want, but the first step in getting a medical billing and coding job is finding the right school for your training. ABC Training Center is a medical assistant school NYC students trust, and our nationally certified program prepares you to work in any medical setting. Continue browsing to learn more about our home health aide and medical assistant training in New York or call us at 718-618-5589.