Nothing dissuades winners from their ultimate triumph.  Countless volumes have been written by or about those who have made some of human history’s most significant achievements.  The similarity between every winners’ story is a strong tendency to persevere.  Those who have ultimately won and captured the prize they pursued all agree that countless failures had to be endured along the long road to inevitable success; a road that one cannot travel to its terminus without dogged determination and a mindset that doesn’t view adversity or challenges as obstacles.  But rather, as stepping stones to something greater.

If you’re a certified nursing assistant, or if you’re considering becoming a certified nursing assistant, but there are obstacles preventing you from acting on your desire to take CNA training, you should consider the story of Dr. Jan Brunstrom-Hernandez.  Her story of overcoming adversity and even leveraging her challenge into a life-affirming solution is truly inspirational.  It should demonstrate that there are no true obstacles.  Only setbacks on the road to success.

Listen, anything worth having has to be worth fighting for.  If you’re thinking about making a bold career change and enrolling in Allen School Online to study medical billing and coding, what’s stopping you?  Are you concerned about the challenges of learning by remote?  Do you think the field may be too difficult or you’re worried you won’t be able to keep up?  No one says it is easy to become something more, but, you have to turn a deaf ear to the naysayers, and get out there.  Consider the 14 year old boy in this video.  Born with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, his parents were told he’d never speak.   And yet, clearly, they misjudged the determination of this family.  Today, 14-year-old Jacob Barnett is regarded as probably smarter than Einstein.  Watch the amazing video and may it provide you the inspiration you may need to take a big step and study medical billing and coding online for a brand new career.

The old saw says, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure”.  Nowhere is this more relevant than in the process of job interviewing.  As another old (but still true) saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a first impression”.  So it is exceedingly important that before you head out the door to go on an interview for a position as a certified nursing assistant, a medical assistant or a medical billing and coding specialist, you prepare yourself well.  This not only includes dressing for success and being punctual to arrive to the interview.  It also involves being ready to adequately answer any and all questions the interviewer may pose to you.

Our last post focused on making sure your resume is in top condition.  So today, we’re going to focus on being prepared for the interview process.  Again, the job pros over at www.monster.com have produced some very excellent materials specific to the types of questions a CNA, medical assistant or medical billing candidate may reasonably be asked in an interview.  Below are links to specific information for each of these job fields.  If you’ve recently completed your CNA training or the medical assistant or medical billing programs at Allen School, you should definitely read these documents before you head out to find a new job.

1. Medical billing interview questions
2. Medical assistant interview questions
3. Certified Nursing Assistant cover letter/resume samples

Working as a CNA or a medical assistant requires a great deal of organizational skills and productivity.  We all know how hard it can be to become – and then remain – super productive.  That is why I want to share with our Allen School readers a great piece that was published over at www.lifehacker.com.  In this piece, the author shares historical evidence of productivity secrets from none other than George Washington, our country’s first president.  So successful was he at being on top of his game, that our country has flourished and grown into the the amazing place that we all call home today.  Read the article here and take away as much wisdom as you can from our founding father.  Be a leader in your own right as you embark on a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant.

Don't say these things out loud in your office

So you’re about to complete your studies to be a Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Billing and Coding pro.  Congratulations to you!  Soon you’ll be finding a job.  And when you do, despite the nature of the work after medical office assistant training, you’ll still be working in – wait for it – an office!  As such, you’ll be subject to the same rules of workplace etiquette as those who work in every other kind of office environment.

As someone who has toiled in the fluorescent halls of nearly every kind of imaginable office, let me pass along a little wisdom that will help you avoid landing in hot water in your new office gig.  The folks over at job board Monster.com published this great little piece about the 5 things you should never say in the office.  High on that list is the old chestnut, “That’s not my job!”  I cannot tell you how many erstwhile colleagues I witnessed utter this job-torpedoing four-word resignation.  Another “no-no” utterance from the article is “It’s not fair!”  Even shorter, at three words, this little sentence will also dramatically reduce the number of days you’ll likely spend in the employ of the office wherein you made that plaintive whine.

Here’s the whole article.  Read up and avoid making these rookie mistakes in your first office ecosystem.  Better to learn it here than learn it the hard way.  I know, because I dropped a couple of these bombs myself as a green office denizen.  I can attest to the negative influence on one’s earning ability these simple sentences bring.  Just don’t do it!