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A few months ago, I wrote a thread entitled, "CA grad DESPERATELY seeking job in Chicago!" Despite a number of friendly tips and crossed fingers from the forum, I am still stuck in the same dead end California town and have had absolutely zero luck finding a job in Chicago. The problem is two fold. First, this particular CA town was REALLY rocked by the recession. Even though I'm one of the 17% who actually have a B.A. degree around this place, the best wage I've been able to find is 9 bucks an hour Not a lot of money in any part of the country, and certainly not much in California, I can assure you. Needless to say, I'm no where close to having enough money to move without another job lined up in Chicago.
The second problem is the fact that every Chicago employer who has happened to contact me (which is once every 8 blue moons, give or take a moon), wants to know if I'm already living in the city. Once they hear that I'm not, the conversation is over.
Recently, I've been toying with the idea of taking the AHIMA online medical coding course. Maybe that would improve my chances of getting an entry-level job with one of the many hospitals in the Chicagoland area. Not really my area of expertise but at least a hospital gig (whether I'm in medical records, washing dishes, or mopping up puke) would give me the living wage that I am so desperately seeking.
Can anyone working in a Chicago area hospital offer some advice on the best way to get my foot in the door? Best person to speak with, etc.? Better yet, do you know of possible positions opening up at the hospital that employs you? Any information is greatly appreciated.
I've been trying to get out of California for the past two years and move to a place where I actually want to be. As many of you may already know, being in a rut that long is similar to "death by a thousand cuts." I'm a pretty tenacious guy, but I've simply run out of gas and ideas lately.
Here's hoping that 2012 will be better for me, you, and everyone you know.
I don't work in the hospital industry so I can't directly help you there. However since you are already making only $9 an hour and presumably have the resources to make a move to Chicago can you find a job here for that same amount of money and just keep looking for a better job when you get here? That way you can tell people you already live in the city and that could help in addition to whatever contacts you could make. It is not easy to get by on that money but I don't know the other specifics of your finances, I do know however that the cost of living is much lower than any major metropolitan area in California and we do have lower unemployment but still not great. If your dream is to live in Chicago and can do the above with your finances I say go for it. I can't get inside prospective employers' head but I suspect the reason many won't consider out of towners for some jobs right now because they probably get so many applicants that simply only considering local people makes it somewhat easier on them and they don't have to worry about dealing with their travel to interview and relocation issues. Since this is a big city and I get the impression that the jobs you are looking for are entry level and/or medium skilled employers have the luxury to do this because of the size of the labor pool.
The basic problem I see with anything like "medical coding" is that the hospitals all know there are a ton of late night TV ads offering "training" in this so they demand EXPERIENCE that they will verify: Medical Coder Job in Chicago 60606, Illinois US (http://jobview.monster.com/Medical-Coder-Job-Chicago-IL-104694475.aspx - broken link)
"Years of Experience2+ to 5 Years"I agree that local applicants make the whole process easier for employers. The only kind of jobs that employers really consider out of town applicants are a lot higher on the wage curve than "medical coder" which rarely pays more than about $10/hr to start...
If you're considering a move to Chicago, does that mean you already have friends/relatives in Chi? If so, you should use a local address on your resume and application, and pretend to live in Chicago. This way you can avoid the problem of not living in Chi, and focus on your skill set.
However, what are you going to do if the employer wants you to come in for an interview? Buy a last-minute plane ticket?
It can be done, but you're basically at the mercy of potential employers and their respective schedules. You might have to be available at a moment's notice ( i.e. expensive plane ticket), or you might arrange to be in the Chicago area during a set week in the near future, but you still need to get the interview lined up beforehand. You'd also better be prepared to relocate VERY quickly in order to satisfy an employer's demands. Some will work with you, but some will no doubt want you to be in Chicago, and ready to work, within 3-4 weeks of an acceptance letter.
You might want to contact the respective personnel departments ahead of time to see if they'll consider out-of-state applicants. This way, at least you'll know if it's worth your time, etc..
I work at a hospital here. I don't know if you haven't already attempted this, but try going directly to every hospital's website. They all have a Human Resources link to which you can search for jobs and apply online. I'm just guessing here, but I don't think they put a lot of $$ into advertising entry level, non-patient contact types of jobs which could be why you aren't finding much on the big job search engines. They probably just list them on their website or recruit locally. The Chicago area is chock full of hospitals, large and small. Do a google search for a listing of all the hospitals. There's tons.
The OP's situation is that do not currently have ANY experience working in a hospital. They are merely toying with the idea of taking an online course in "medical coding".
Given the low pay that goes along with this type of job it would seem less than the ideal ticket upon which to attempt to launch a relocation effort...
There are a large number of hospitals in Chicago, but Chicago has the unfortunate distinction of being "The only large area with an over-the-year jobless rate increase ..." SO unless you have some solid experience in very hard to acquire, high demand SKILLS there are probably better place to move to...
November jobless rates down over the year in 351 of 372 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 239 (http://www.lanereport.com/articles/fastlane_article.cfm?id=november_jobless_rates_dow n_over_the_year_in_351_of_372_metro_areas_payroll_ jobs_up_in_239 - broken link)
Quote:
Originally Posted by whatyousay
I work at a hospital here. I don't know if you haven't already attempted this, but try going directly to every hospital's website. They all have a Human Resources link to which you can search for jobs and apply online. I'm just guessing here, but I don't think they put a lot of $$ into advertising entry level, non-patient contact types of jobs which could be why you aren't finding much on the big job search engines. They probably just list them on their website or recruit locally. The Chicago area is chock full of hospitals, large and small. Do a google search for a listing of all the hospitals. There's tons.
The OP's situation is that do not currently have ANY experience working in a hospital. They are merely toying with the idea of taking an online course in "medical coding".
Given the low pay that goes along with this type of job it would seem less than the ideal ticket upon which to attempt to launch a relocation effort...
There are a large number of hospitals in Chicago, but Chicago has the unfortunate distinction of being "The only large area with an over-the-year jobless rate increase ..." SO unless you have some solid experience in very hard to acquire, high demand SKILLS there are probably better place to move to...
November jobless rates down over the year in 351 of 372 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 239 (http://www.lanereport.com/articles/fastlane_article.cfm?id=november_jobless_rates_dow n_over_the_year_in_351_of_372_metro_areas_payroll_ jobs_up_in_239 - broken link)
He stated in the OP that he's looking for an entry level position. You don't need high demand skills for these positions, nor do you need experience. I didn't get the impression that he has unrealistic expectations regarding the pay, and once employed by the hospital, an employee can get tuition reimbursement for medical coding, or patient care tech, or whatever. I just checked three hospital websites and found several entry level positions that would fit the bill and are NOT difficult to get (registration, cashier, mail room, housekeeping, patient sitter, etc.). Not only that, but having a BS, even in an unrelated field, would set him apart from other applicants. If he can speak spanish, that's an even bigger plus. It might even be helpful to get CPR certification.
I know many people at the hospital that I work at who have started out in entry level non-patient care positions who took advantage of the tuition reimbursement advancement opportunities available at most hospitals and are now working in patient care/administration with much better pay. I didn't get the impression that he's looking for his dream job, but will use this as a stepping stone to further his career. Smart idea since many of the hospitals that I'm familiar with promote from within > from the outside.
I agree that hospital workers tend to have had a better ability to come in at entry level and build their skills to advance beyond entry level.
The question I suppose would whether that sort of advancement is the most prudent direction to assume for the combination of non-medical undergrad degree, questionable online training and relocation.
When I think of relocation in particular the relative labor shortage / surplus for a given job in a given location would give me pause. Tremendous numbers of Chicagoans remain unemployed even as hiring numbers seem to have improved for the rest of the country. If it is relatively easy to get an entry level job at a quality employer that will make one's advancement easy I would question why the region's employment numbers still look so dismal...
I myself have some experience with healthcare employment, as my sister is an RN as well as my mother. There are, additionally, some physicians in my family and count among my friend several physicians. The future changes that are facing all healthcare workers often causes them to suggest that the past patterns of employment in healthcare may change drastically...
Quote:
Originally Posted by whatyousay
He stated in the OP that he's looking for an entry level position. You don't need high demand skills for these positions, nor do you need experience. I didn't get the impression that he has unrealistic expectations regarding the pay, and once employed by the hospital, an employee can get tuition reimbursement for medical coding, or patient care tech, or whatever. I just checked three hospital websites and found several entry level positions that would fit the bill and are NOT difficult to get (registration, cashier, mail room, housekeeping, patient sitter, etc.). Not only that, but having a BS, even in an unrelated field, would set him apart from other applicants. If he can speak spanish, that's an even bigger plus. It might even be helpful to get CPR certification.
I know many people at the hospital that I work at who have started out in entry level non-patient care positions who took advantage of the tuition reimbursement advancement opportunities available at most hospitals and are now working in patient care/administration with much better pay. I didn't get the impression that he's looking for his dream job, but will use this as a stepping stone to further his career. Smart idea since many of the hospitals that I'm familiar with promote from within > from the outside.
I agree that hospital workers tend to have had a better ability to come in at entry level and build their skills to advance beyond entry level.
The question I suppose would whether that sort of advancement is the most prudent direction to assume for the combination of non-medical undergrad degree, questionable online training and relocation.
When I think of relocation in particular the relative labor shortage / surplus for a given job in a given location would give me pause. Tremendous numbers of Chicagoans remain unemployed even as hiring numbers seem to have improved for the rest of the country. If it is relatively easy to get an entry level job at a quality employer that will make one's advancement easy I would question why the region's employment numbers still look so dismal...
I myself have some experience with healthcare employment, as my sister is an RN as well as my mother. There are, additionally, some physicians in my family and count among my friend several physicians. The future changes that are facing all healthcare workers often causes them to suggest that the past patterns of employment in healthcare may change drastically...
It's not my place to pass judgement on the OP's thought process or reasoning for wanting to relocate or for the industry/field he is looking into either. He asked for information from people who work in Chicago hospitals, to which I gave the best advice I could. I can't speak as to why these positions remain unfilled given the area's high unemployment, however, I don't think these are the types of positions that are posted on the big employment sites ie., Monster either. Yes, health care in general is in a state of flux and contraction due to the never-ending cuts in Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement, thank you Obamacare. Hospitals are hurting, but that doesn't mean that there aren't still positions that need to be filled. Do yourself a favor and look that the HR links on some of the area's hospitals and see for yourself the listed positions.
And, I disagree with this statement:
Quote:
The question I suppose would whether that sort of advancement is the most prudent direction to assume for the combination of non-medical undergrad degree, questionable online training and relocation.
Not only is that not for you to decide for the OP, but you're also dead wrong. I know of at least 2 mid-level administrators at the hospital I work at who literally worked their way up to six figure salaries from having started out in the medical coding and billing departments. Neither of them even has a BS degree, although both are currently working on obtaining that through the hospital's tuition reimbursement. Another two administrators are currently getting there MS degrees in healthcare management on the company's dime. One of the secretaries just completed her coursework and degree to become a patient care tech, and another secretary is working on finishing up her certification to become a physical therapy aide. My point is, there are many opportunities once you have your foot in the door. Nothing like getting paid while getting your degree.
Also, ASL is not a completely unrelated field. He could use that to his advantage and offer interpreting services to deaf patients in need of an ASL interpreter. He only needs to complete a short hospital course in medical interpreting, although every hospital's requirements may differ. No, I doubt that there are any full-time positions for this, but it would be in addition to whatever position he took in the hospital. Some of the Spanish speaking secretaries in my department have taken the interpreting course and serve as impromptu interpreters for my Spanish speaking patients when I'm in a pinch and need more in-depth interpreting. In this job market, you need to use your credentials to your advantage and think outside the box. Being fluent in ASL can easily be seen as an asset by a potential employer who is mandated by law to provide health care in the patient's native language.
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Not a lot of money in any part of the country, and certainly not much in California, I can assure you. Needless to say, I'm no where close to having enough money to move without another job lined up in Chicago. 
Um...
