Where are you hearing that this field is in high demand? Are they marketing the courses that way?
I'm not saying this isn't a high demand field, it just seems that the demand is for experience, based on what I see posted here and the job postings I see.
Part of the reason many people have to start in other positions, in my opinion, is some employers don't always see the need and/or value of coders. The position I am currently in is new, I am the first one to hold it. The organization isn't new, they just didn't know they needed someone to do what I do until they took over their own billing and found out they didn't have a clue how to handle physician documentation, coding, and billing issues. So if you get your foot in the door you then have the chance to prove yourself valuable in other areas. Hopefully opening other doors and moving you more fully into the coding field. What most people don't understand though, is many times "receptionist jobs" actually do a lot of coding. I used to teach new employees ICD-9 coding at my last position. They expected MAs, nurses, receptionists, billing clerks, and secretaries to be able to pick up an ICD-9 book and assign dx codes. Our receptionists checked every single encounter sheet for valid codes(both CPT and ICD-9) before they were keyed into the system.
I feel like I am rambling, I will finish by saying, keep a positive attitude, don't burn any bridges, and go above and beyond to prove yourself. That is the only way to stay afloat in this job market, not just this field.
Good luck,
Laura, CPC