Wiki I just passed in June. Switching careers. No experience in coding except i am enrolled in Practicode. Need advice on 1st draft resume

sreyburn

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Sarah Reyburn
P.O. Box 7285 | Spokane WA, 99207 | 509-362-4925 | Fire_ice_sarah@hotmail.com
Objective
As an entry-level coder, I welcome the chance to advance my formidable knowledge through currently being enrolled in AAPC’s Practicode, and I believe working in such a cutting-edge job market will inspire me to enrich my skills and collaborate within a positive atmosphere.
Education
Practicode – AAPC – Currently enrolled
Oct 2019 – Present

AAPC – Online – CPC-A

  • Earned CPC-A through AAPC
  • Oct 2018- Oct 2019
  • Currently enrolled in Practicode
  • Apollo College – Spokane Valley – Diploma Medical Billing and Coding
  • Nov 2007- Nov 2008
Skills & Abilities
  • CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II codes
  • Medicare insurance regulations
  • Medical terminology
  • Anatomy
  • Data entry and management
  • Typing speed 45 WPM
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Programs and spreadsheets
  • Analytical skills
  • Decision making
  • Problem solving
  • Time management
Certificates
  • Certified Professional Coder, CPC –A
  • Certificate Medical Terminology proficiency
  • Certificate Anatomy proficiency
  • Certificate CPC Physician Based Coding proficiency
  • Diploma Medical Billing and Coding
  • HCA, Home Care Aide 2014
Experience
HCA, COPES, In-home care 2010 – 2018
Spokane, WA
  • Monitoring and recording patient condition, providing support and personal services, and teaching families
Providing housekeeping and laundry services, shopping for food and other household requirements, preparing and serving meals and snacks, and running errands
Personal services, such as, bathing, dressing, and grooming
Assists with transfers using lifts, sit to stand, and DME equipment
Advises on nutrition, cleanliness, and housekeeping
Records patient information by making entries in the patient journal and notifying supervisor of changing or unusual conditions
Maintains a safe, secure, and healthy patient environment by following asepsis standards and procedures, maintaining security precautions, and following prescribed dietary requirements and nutrition standards
Protects the home care agency by adhering to professional standards, home care policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements

Reference Available upon request
 
I hope this does not seem to critical. My goal here is for you to revise your resume so that you have the opportunity to get an interview.
1) The objective is 1 long run-on sentence. And when your third word is "entry-level" there will be people reading your resume that will literally stop there.
2) I would also hesitate about "advance my formidable knowledge" AND "enrich my skills" in the objective. That might be more suited if you were looking for an apprenticeship. Maybe just 1 of those. Currently, it sounds like you want to work there to learn how to do the job. Employers willing to hire entry level (there are some, but not many) do not want to be reminded about how much they will need to teach you.
3) Practicode. I would leave it out of the objective. Only list in Education. Maybe add an estimated completion date??
4) AAPC - don't list Practicode again under that. Currently you reference it 3x. I personally don't know of anyone on the hiring end who cares about it. I would also recommend putting when you passed your CPC. The way you have things worded now, it's inferred in was 10/2019, but it's not clear.
5) Your Medical Billing & Coding should be it's own line - not under AAPC
6) Skills. I would specify what Microsoft Programs you know. Also maybe instead of "knowledge of" "proficient in"
7) Skills. The list looks a little long to me. You could shorten some things like "Analytical skills including decision making, problem solving and time management"
8) Certificates. I would change it to "Certifications" and I would list dates for those certifications, and perhaps who issued them.
9) Experience - the first item is bulleted, but not the rest.
10) Experience. I don't know how many people might notice, but I remember taking a resume class 20+ years ago that recommended all verbs in the job description be the same. So either: monitoring, providing, assisting, advising, recording OR monitors, provides, assists, advises, records OR monitor, provide, assist, advise, record. I personally don't care for the "provides, assists, advises, records" as to me, it appears to be copied/pasted from an employer's job description.
11) Experience - 9 lines describing your responsibilities may be a little lengthy. Especially when this is a career change. Your knowledge of things like anatomy & terminology, or maintaining records, from that experience is relevant, but housekeeping is not. Try to re-arrange that section to highlight the most relevant and shorten the least relevant.
12) IF as a HCA you in any way had any involvement/correspondence with billing or coding teams, find a way somewhere to include that. You may not have, in which case obviously don't add it.
13) General - the current layout seems a little choppy. I did mention already some items that should be separate lines, or missing bullets, etc. Again, from a resume course I was told to keep it to 1 page. But don't make it look skimpy. You can sometimes slightly adjust larger margins on a smaller resume or smaller margins on a longer resume to keep at 1 page.
14) I see you went to classes for 1 year for medical billing & coding, but then NEVER worked except as HCA? If so, be prepared for that question on an interview.

To me, the resume needs to be good enough to get you the interview, not get you the job. The candidate who interviews best gets the job. But if your resume goes in the shred pile, you won't even get the opportunity to show them how eager and fantastic you will be.

This entire posting is just my 2 cents. Other people who make hiring decisions could very well disagree with me on some or even all of these items. Again, my critique is with the goal of you getting an interview.
Good luck!
 
This was great advice. I am happy you did take the time to map it out. These hints helped me a lot on refining my resume. Im glad you responded before I had uploaded this mess to monster. Also I was wondering, I have already done quite a few CEUs. Should I add the lectures and webinars I attended to my resume?? Again thank you
 
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I would not recommend putting webinars and lectures on your resume. That definitely looks like you're trying to pad your resume. And for some people, would create a 10 page resume.
It is something you should mention during an interview. If you do a coverletter, you could also put a sentence about it, but not on the resume. I would recommend a coverletter. It's a great way to help turn you from resume #576 into a person.
Also, as has been recommended in numerous other posts - as a new coder with a career change, it doesn't hurt to take another administrative position within an organization. Once you can demonstrate your knowledge and get some real life relevant experience, it may be easier to make that move into a coding position.
 
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