"That gave her a step up," Reedy said about Barletta. "She was already a member of the professional association, certified and taking part in all of the local chapter meetings. That's what gave her the biggest edge" (see trends A and D).

Attend your local chapter meetings and you'll have a dozen informal "interviews" with a dozen potential employers all at one time-and just remember: even if they aren't hiring, they'll more than likely know someone who is (see trend C).

Secret #3

They left their mark. There is some very crucial glue that holds the first two secrets together: each of the coders gave 100 percent every step of the way.

You're not going to get anywhere if you start entry-level and act like you could care less, or show up to the local chapter meetings and hide in the back. These coders showed their desire for coding the whole way through, and in doing so, made themselves memorable (see trends A and E).

"Karen [Pope] took pride in everything she did, regardless if it was filing a sheet of paper or putting away a record," Coffey said. "Anybody you hire in HIM has to take it seriously, because people's lives rely on it; and if they can't do a small thing well, you certainly don't want to give them more responsibility."

Giving 100 percent starts at your first coding class. Megan Liebner left her mark on HIM Program Director Susan Scully at Burlington County College, Pemberton, NJ, and when a job opened at Scully's hospital, she urged Liebner to apply.

At age 22, Liebner is now a non-credentialed coder at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, NJ, and able to say she landed her first coding job even before graduating. Remember, in this career employers and instructors talk (see trend C), and you want to be the over-achieving coder they're bragging about.

They created value in the little they had. Most of the coders came into the coding world with little to no tangible value-so; they made some, using any and every soft skill they had. 

Don't have experience? Think again. What 49-year-old Barletta lacked in coding experience she sure had in life experiences; and she did a fantastic job translating it. She used her 7 years working from home to show she is an independent worker; she focused only on prior duties that required accuracy and attention to detail; and she described herself as a natural perfectionist-all of the traits a good coder would need.

Reedy, her soon-to-be employer, noticed. "I am looking for things that indicate to me you're a problem solver and self-motivated; we can't stand behind you with a whip," Reedy said. "You really need to think: 'What does this employer want?'"

In Liebner's case, rather than just saying she "worked at ShopRite" she described how her job as front-end manager gave her leadership skills and initiative. Have passion but nothing else? Reedy said to mention in your cover letter why you want to be a coder. Employers love passion, and they'll take notice (see trend E).

Secret #5

They took their career into their own hands. Take 62-year-old Diane Aden. If anyone should have given up on the job search it was her. When most of her friends were retiring, Aden left human resources to start a career in coding. She took certification courses at Career Coders and was eager to get hired. But with no credentials, no experience and no network to speak of, Aden hit wall after wall. "My family watched my frustration and suggested I let the coding go," she said. "I wouldn't give in."

Aden instead noted the areas she had nothing and made something. She needed proof of her coding skills, so she got her CPC-A-and considering 80 percent of CPC-A's work in coding or billing jobs within a year of passing the exam, this put clear stock in her hiring potential.

She needed the experience, so she volunteered wherever she could: for 2 days at an orthodontist office, for a few weeks with an auditor, "anything to get closer to coding. Did I need the salary? Yes; but I knew I wouldn't get one until I did this. I practically begged: 'What can I do? Can I clean your floor so I can see how your office works?'" she said, laughing

Aden also treated her job search like a second job, scheduling it in between her part-time job, study time and practice tests to equal a full 9 to 5 workday. And, by hitting on hiring trends D and E, this same woman who spent close to a year hitting dead ends watched as the interviews began. A few months later, she was hired as a medical coder/charge poster job at Rocky Mountain Associates, Loveland, CO.

The Secret Formula
So, is there a secret formula to all of this? There seems to be, and it's this: rather than fighting the system, work with it; and it in turn will work for you.

As you'll notice, none of these stories involve a 6-week, fly-by-night coding course and a 2-week job search to landing their ideal coding job and working remotely from home! All of these coders had real expectations and high respect for the profession and because of this, they didn't expect it to be easy ("and isn't it a compliment to the profession to be that respected?"asked Susan Parker, MEd, RHIA, owner of Seagate Consulting).

You already know the secrets. Perhaps the biggest secret of all is that you need to stop fighting the path and start following it. These coders didn't sit around wondering why the path to employment was so hard, they took it: they got that credential; started entry-level, volunteered to get experience; joined the local chapter and networked their way up-until the system, in turn, worked for them. The bottom line is simple, said Jean Kitzmiller, an experienced coder at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, IA: Getting a job in coding depends on how badly you want to be a coder.

Ainsley Maloney is an assistant editor with ADVANCE.