Agree
I find in hiring, we are handicapped by HR, there are good candidates, who I would love to give a chance to, sometimes you just get a feel for people. However, that minimum year of experience can be very difficult to obtain and without it, we never see the applications. On top of that, with the expense of hiring a new candidate, vetting them, background checks, reference checks, drug tests, then training and giving them the experience, you always run the risk of hiring someone with no experience and then they leave for a better deal somewhere else once they have experience.
Challenges on all sides.
I will say that the coders we hired with little or no coding experience, we hired based on billing/front office/back office experience. There is a steeper learning curve, but if they are already able to navigate a hundred websites for authorizations, and have HIPAA training and some basic ICD 10 CM and CPT knowledge, it's a good start.
I always tell people interested in breaking into coding, sometimes you have to take the sucky job, to get the good job. Go for medical records, scanning, release of information, doctors office, ophthalmologists office, dentists office, front office, back office, learn everything you can, make yourself indispensable. You will either get promoted to supervisor/office manager there, or at the very least learn enough to qualify for that first coding position. All the while, never stop learning, study for your coding certification, and if you got it, keep your skills sharp, keep an eye out for webinars, pick up a coding book here and there to study, code scenarios, stay sharp.
What's the definition of luck?
Hard work combined with lots of preparation and opportunity.
Put the time in, so when you're ready, and that dream job comes along, you aren't the best candidate, you are the only candidate. No questions about it, they just can't pass you up!!!
You'll get there.
Best of luck.