Getting your certification is a wonderful thing, but now it is time to turn your attention and efforts to finding a new position with your newly minted qualifications. With the economy in turmoil and the effects of this volatility on the labor market, the rules of job hunting are changing day to day. What may have been conventional wisdom about how to write a resume, how to handle interviews or how to negotiate compensation is potentially no longer relevant. In many cases, what used to be a strategy for success has become a recipe for failure.
The best way to know what is working (and what is not) in real time is to read the shared experiences of other job seekers who are also currently out there dealing with resumes, human resources, hiring managers, etc. The best job hunting blogs have shared experiences posted daily and that fresh input can be of immense value to the job hunter. I recommend Jobhuntingblogs.org which is a wonderful compilation of the best job hunting blogs out there.
I also like guerrillajobhunting Get a fresh look at what is working for others and you can get ahead in the hunt! Also, share your experiences in the comments below to help fellow Allen School Online students in their search.
The AllHealthCare section of Monster.com compiled a list of the top 10 best cities for people pursuing careers in medical assistant/billing/coding. The list goes into a bit of detail for each city explaining why it made the list. Of course, the most prominent contributing factor is the average pay for workers in the field. But there are many other reasons to live in all of the cities listed. Here are the top five and the average annual salary figures for each.
CITY AVG. PAY
1) Vallejo, CA $45,000
2) Danbury, CT $37,000
3) San Francisco, CA $37,000
4) Salinas, CA $35,000
5) Oakland, CA $34,500
The rest of the list and more detailed information on the above cities can be viewed here.
Yahoo! recently published a list of the top 5 fastest growing jobs in the medical field. Medical Records and Health Information Technician took the number 3 place on the list! With a very attractive average annual salary, medical billing and coding specialists can anticipate continued strength in the job market for people with their qualifications. Click here to view the list and the entire article.
For those of you getting ready to graduate and enter the workforce in your new career, consider the article here from the Business Insider courtesy of Yahoo!. In this piece, we are shown the statistics illustrating that how you look has a material impact on how you’re treated and how much you earn in the market. Cleanshaven men without any balding earn higher than their analogs who are losing hair or growing it on their faces. Conservatively dressed women earn better than their more revealingly dressed counterparts. Read the entire piece to learn how you can present yourself to earn the most on the job.
Standing out from the competition is always a challenge in a job search. And, although it is said that “there is nothing new under the sun,” there are those individuals who come up with novel ideas for breaking through in terms of getting noticed by a hiring manager. Follow me over the jump for some truly innovative strategies for getting noticed in the sea of resumes. Continue reading…
In the current job market, there are four different generations working, the first time in American history that this is the case.Each generation has a different way of communicating and different values and expectations.
According to Greg Hammill, a human resources specialist, there are distinct attitudes, motivational “buttons,” behaviors, habits and expectations identified within each generational group. Research has revealed that individuals communicate based on their generational background. Generational differences can affect hiring, the building of teams, motivating and managing people and, ultimately, increasing productivity. Generational differences can also result in misunderstandings, employee turnover, problems in attracting good employees and keeping employees loyal. Learning how to communicate with the different groups can eliminate a great deal of confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace. Follow past the jump for profiles of the four generations sharing the modern workplace.Continue reading…
Ok, I know I will likely raise the ire of readers here who are, by definition, likely multi-taskers. I mean, online students typically choose the online methodology for learning precisely because they’re too busy with jobs and family to devote so much time to on-campus classes. So while you’re here reading, toggling back and forth between this blog and your course work, feeding the baby, balancing the checkbook and getting your things together to go back to work tomorrow morning, let me tell you why such multi-tasking is bad for you. **Ducks and covers to avoid hurled projectiles** Continue reading…
With the closure of hundreds of Chrysler and GM dealerships across the country, there are going to be thousands of folks joining the ranks of the unemployed. And its not just dealers that will be out of work. Decreased demand and closures will have a rippling effect throughout the workforce as parts manufacturers, detailers, shippers, and other ancillary automotive support industries are pared back in tandem with the closures. Even non-automotive industries will suffer from the maleffects of these closures. I know that the bagel shop, newsstand and lunch counters adjacent to my local automall will all be suffering from fewer salesmen, mechanics, detailers, etc., there each day to buy coffee, newspapers, lottery tickets, bagels and lunches.
The sad part is, many of these jobs will be lost for good. When manufacturing plants close, and large numbers of skilled workers are dumped into the labor pool, it is near impossible to find new positions for these workers. These jobs simply dry up. As painful as this is, it is this function of the business cycle that prompts displaced workers to seek training in industries where there is greater opportunity for growth and job stability.
Traumatized by the loss of a lifelong career path, folks seeking job training typically seek fields that they believe will insulate them against falling victim to this kind of cataclysmic collapse ever again. The medical billing and coding field is a natural match for those seeking to retrain and redeploy into a growing field. With the Baby Boomer generation entering retirement age, the need for healthcare is projected to continue to rise dramatically. As the population continues to age, the security in this field should rise in direct correlation.
So if you’re a victim of the collapse of the US auto industry, you might consider a new career in a secure and growing field. We are sorry for your hardship and loss, but we offer you the hospitality of our community and the opportunity to grow with us.
Getting your certification is a wonderful thing, but now it is time to turn your attention and efforts to finding a new position with your newly minted qualifications. With the economy in turmoil and the effects of this volatility on the labor market, the rules of job hunting are changing day to day. What may have been conventional wisdom about how to write a resume, how to handle interviews or how to negotiate compensation is potentially no longer relevant. In many cases, what used to be a strategy for success has become a recipe for failure.
The best way to know what is working (and what is not) in real time is to read the shared experiences of other job seekers who are also currently out there dealing with resumes, human resources, hiring managers, etc. The best job hunting blogs have shared experiences posted daily and that fresh input can be of immense value to the job hunter. I recommend Jobhuntingblogs.org which is a wonderful compilation of the best job hunting blogs out there.
I also like guerrillajobhunting Get a fresh look at what is working for others and you can get ahead in the hunt! Also, share your experiences in the comments below to help fellow Allen School Online students in their search. 
In the current job market, there are four different generations working, the first time in American history that this is the case.
Ok, I know I will likely raise the ire of readers here who are, by definition, likely multi-taskers. I mean, online students typically choose the online methodology for learning precisely because they’re too busy with jobs and family to devote so much time to on-campus classes. So while you’re here reading, toggling back and forth between this blog and your course work, feeding the baby, balancing the checkbook and getting your things together to go back to work tomorrow morning, let me tell you why such multi-tasking is bad for you. **Ducks and covers to avoid hurled projectiles**