When Asked Whether You Have Experience...

Many new medical assistant school graduates seeking their first job wonder, how do you get experience when no one wants to hire you?

If you graduated successfully from a medical assistant training program, then you are a trained worker with job specific skills, you are well prepared and able to learn; a valuable asset to any potential employer. As part of the curriculum you already are trained in clinical and administrative medical office routines, medical terminology, common laboratory tasks, the proper techniques and safety measures involved, as well as venipuncture. 

If you did an externship as part of this training, then you even have direct medical office job experience. Even previous jobs, such as truck driving, customer services or cashier is experience. Why do people forget that during an interview when asked? KNOW that customer services, punctuality, accuracy, honesty, as well as planning, or multitasking is VERY important in a medical office! I don't care, even if it was "just a McDonald's cashier job! If your cash in your cash drawer was always correct at closing, that is valuable experience that can play a major role in a medical office (accuracy, honesty, detail to attention, courteous customer interaction).

Learn what doctors expect of medical assistants

Remember, that the medical assistant is the FIRST point of contact patients see when they come and go for their appointments, or call the office, and they expect accuracy, honesty, detail to attention, courteousness and satisfaction. Doctors could not run their practice without these services the medical assistant provides. Even previous jobs, such as sales clerk, customer services attendant, or cashier is experience. Why do people forget that during an interview when asked? KNOW that customer services, punctuality, accuracy, honesty, as well as planning, or multitasking is VERY important in a medical office! I don't care, even if it was "just a McDonald's cashier job! If your cash in your cash drawer was always correct at closing, that is valuable experience that can play a major role in a medical office (accuracy, honesty, detail to attention, courteous customer interaction).

Remember, that the medical assistant is the FIRST point of contact all patients see when they come and go for their appointments, they too expect accuracy, honesty, detail to attention, courteousness and satisfaction. Doctors could not run their practice without these services the medical assistant provides. Remember, that the medical assistant is the FIRST point of contact all patients see when they come and go for their appointments, they too expect accuracy, honesty, detail to attention, courteousness and satisfaction. Doctors could not run their practice without these services the medical assistant provides. 

When asked during an interview about job experience, remember your training and externship and say yes! Say it like you mean it. 10 or more successful phlebotomy draws under the watchful eyes of your instructor in the schools clinical lab = experience. 50 accurate blood pressure readings taken = experience. Setting up a sterile field as part of your finals = experience.

So, as far as the question, do you have experience goes, let a coach, or someone you trust help you to tweak your answers and rehearse them. State your skills with confidence next time you are being "grilled" when meeting with a potential employer. Use charm and honesty along with your knowledge and skills to create an aura people would expect and appreciate in a medical office setting. There just has to be a doctor who would love to have you on the team.

Medical Assistant Job With No Experience

What doctors want and new medical assistants don't know... have you ever decided to skip a job ad and not apply because it specified 1–2 years job experience which you don't have (or may be you do, but you don't know it)? Here is why and how you should apply for these positions anyway.

We have been writing a lot about the medical assistant job application process, resume writing and how to word your cover letter. In essence, a cover letter speaks of the reasons why you should be considered for an available position and why you feel you are the perfect match.

In the past, we have also discussed the so-called catch-22 situation when new medical assistant school graduates without job experience wish to apply for advertised jobs, but do not have the expected years of experience. While there hardly ever are any clear cut answers that work one-hundred percent all the time, we have made several suggestions that should prove helpful and at least, get the attention your application deserves.

We want inexperienced medical assistants to realize that there ARE opportunities for them out there, and persistence pays off. Don't let your peers discourage you, and don't let the words 1–2 years experience deter you from your ambitions.

Valued Attributes and Related Job Experience From Other Jobs

In today's fast paced job market ANY employer says in their ads that they want experience, which to some extend is true, but what you need to understand is that work related experience comes in many forms, and your successful completion of your externship and prior other job experience, or volunteer work, or even your engagement in extra curricular activities, such as, for example, being involved in a community garden project counts as valuable experience, however you have to be able to present it as such and make it count.

The following job announcement perfectly illustrates our point. It attests to the fact your cover letter is a very important part of the application, and experience comes in many forms:

On 2012-05-26 MedLion, a medical practice located in Ryan Ranch, Monterey posted a Medical Assistant position. In the ad they describe their company as a rapidly growing, modern medical office with a friendly, sophisticated atmosphere and genuinely caring and compassionate staff. The office is seeking a friendly, polite, hard-working individual for their open medical assisting position. Their perfect candidate, so they say, will be well-spoken, quick to smile, and enjoy being efficient. Formal training is a must and experience is a plus. Those with highly polished customer service skills and excellent references will be best suited for the position, they say. 

The job announcement closes with: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter explaining why they want to be considered for a position at MedLion.

So, lets see, are you someone who is

• polite

• hard working

• genuinely caring

• friendly

• compassionate

• efficient

• and have customer service skills?

If so, then you are at least half way there, especially if you take the time to write a matching cover letter that expresses your sincere interest.

What Doctors Expect and New Medical Assistants Don't Know

Valuable personal traits and attributes, and prior related job experience that's important for this position count, even if it was "as-little-as" a  previous waitress job, sales associate position, Burger King cashier, or your involvement in a community volunteer project, or workshops, where leadership, effective communication, friendly disposition, active engagement, hard work and team spirit was the pinnacle of your success. By the way, many new medical assistants don't realize it, but customer services and friendly disposition can make or break a medical practice, more so than most other skills, and doctors know this.

Ready For the Job But Not Enough Experience?

You have achieved your goal and successfully completed your medical assistant training program; but now that you are going through the job search and application process, you realize that most medical assistant positions offered require at least 1-2 years of experiece. Now what? How can you land a job to gain experience if no one wants to hire you?

You Might Not Think So, But YES - You Have Experience!

Remember, as a medical assistant student you did spend a considerable amount of time in the clinical lab practicing important patient care skills under the supervision of your MA instructor. Lexi, a successful Certified Medical Assistant told us:

"Did you do an externship? If you did an externship, put every bit down on your resume, and applications. Make it look awesome, e.g. I live in a very rural area and traveled an hour and a half each way to school! I used this on my resume when I first got out to show how motivated I was to future employers."

 For example:

• Basic concepts of EKG, ESR, hematocrit
• Urinalysis, stool samples, throat cultures
• Drawing up exact amounts of medications from vials
• Injections: intradermal, subcutaneous, deltoid, and Z-track
• Basic wound care
• Vision screening, Snellen eye chart
• Venipuncture/Phlebotomy
• Collecting and organizing data for research and patient care
• Data entry and safe keeping of records

Prior experience in the healthcare field, such as a nurse's assistant, or home health aide is very helpful and should not be forgotten either, as well as other work experience that will now be applied in a medical office.

Or, as a medical assistant without experience, but other related experience, you can write your cover letter along these lines:

Dear Ms. Jones: I am responding to your ad in The Sun Herald for the Medical Assistant Position. Attached is a copy of my resume that outlines my qualifications and career experience. I have successfully completed a 2 year degree in Medical Assisting (Associate of Applied Sciences), and completed my externship in a busy multi-physician practice. I also have 2 years prior experience as a hotel receptionist where I applied and solidified my customer service and interpersonal communication skills required for your position. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you to discuss my qualifications and how they could benefit your organization.

Determination Wins the Job

We recently came across a very creative way where a new medical assistant puts the word out that she is looking for work on Craigs List. This medical assistant school graduate showed that she is determined, confident, energized and eager to get to work. Her ad also showed, very discretely, that she is looking for work to gain experience and is willing to start low, at the front desk, or as a receptionist, which not every medical assistant is willing to do. Great move.