I agree with everyone here. I have been a cna since 1999, I have been a med aide since 2003, an LPN since 2004, and graduated July of last year with my CMA and passed my board exam December 11th and I am still getting people who are hiring for medical assistants writing me back or sending me letters saying you're not qualified enough. It does not matter what your backgroud is or how long you have been in anything to do with nursing. I also completed 180 hours of externship as a medical assistant in abusy office that saw over 200 patients a day and thats still not enough to secure a job, yet half of the people I graduated with who have absolutely no nusing experience are getting jobs left and right. Can someone explain that one to me cause I simply don't understand. I have 10+ years in nursing experience and these people are fresh out of college with no experience and yet they're getting jobs and I'm not. I have went to professional resume making classes, and also done so many mock interviews I could die, so Its just the profession I guess.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA), CNA, CMA, LPN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Hi there, I agree with you. I served as a Medic in the ARMY for 4years, and when I came home I tried getting a job as an EMT,Paramedic. I was always told that my time in the ARMY didn't count, and that I would have to start all over again. I done just that. I became a CNA for 16 years and I still hold my CNA Certification. I also went on to become a Medical Assistant. I was working for a AFB here in Utah. In December 2009 I was laid off, this was a contracting job and they were laying a few people here and there. I was having a hard time looking for work and so in that meantime I went back to school and got my Associates Degree in Medical Assisting, I already had my Diploma in Medical Assisting. I never gave up and never will. I'm working now doing contracting work again, and I still look out for work just to see what's out there... I wish all the like finding work, and I believe you will find something soon.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: NCMA, (NCCT), AS

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes.

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Thank you,
Doug

Your Professional Title/Credentials: HR

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

I want to start Medical Assisting school in 2 weeks, but it's not a diploma, its an associates degree. Does this make a difference when it comes to hiring?

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? Yes

not really. Just make sure that is a very good school and talk to other students and find out what the chances are of getting hired after you graduate. If not many students are getting jobs, then i wouldn't recommend going to that school. A lot of the problem is that jobs are saying you don't have enough experience when you graduate for them to hire you. I have 11 years of nursing and a diploma LPN as well as my CMA (AAMA) and I still am not getting hired on!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

age?
- over qualified?
- salary expectations?
- stressing nursing experience more than medical assistant in resume?
- strong resume?
- good cover letter?

I am 29 years old. I don't talk much about my 10 years of nursing experience at all in my letters or resume. my salary is well below what most of them are even offering and i never mention that in my resumes at all. I have my medical assistant externship on there because that is the only experience I have as a medical assistant. I am getting told that i do not have enough experience and that I'm not qualified because I have no experience. I have had my resume looked over by professionals in the business as well as my cover letter and have been told that it is phenominal and they would hire me if they were hiring for medical assistants.

My problem is that how am i supposed to get experience as a medical assistant if noone is willing to take that initial risk of hiring me and letting me show them what I am capable of?

I have had many interviews but they all end with them telling me that I do not have enough experience as a medical assistant. well idont have enough experience because noone will hire me and give me that chance!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

Not sure why you went and got a MA cert when you are a LPN???? As a LPN the pay is better and you can work in both acute and LTC. Just wondering

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CCMA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

I had to go get my CMA because I cannot lift more than 10 lbs with my right shoulder ever again. I had a work comp injury and it tore my right shoulder up. The only places around where I live that hire medical assistants are nursing homes and you still have to be able to lift people there. I cannot. Also I became homeless right after I graduated with my LPN, so I was not able to afford my board exam. I only have the diploma but not the board exam ceritfying me. I would have to go back and audit all of my classes now and then pay for the exams.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

I have said this before and I will say it again, Your attitude towards the way you view school will become your work habits. I got a great job 2 weeks after completing my externship, and not with the practice I externed with. If you are not positive now what type employee will you be? I have now been with the same company for 2 yrs and recieved a spot bonus as well as a great Christmas Bonus, the nures I work with treat me with the utmost respect as well do the Doctors. I get calls from other practices in my building wanting to know if I would consider a move. All this has happened because of my attitude toward what I do and how I do it. I am not trying to blow my own horn, but it is the truth! If you dont like what your getting change your Attitude!

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

Um Excuse me I go in to the interviews with the attitude of I know what I'm doing and I will get the job and I still dont have one! If you dont know me then you have no right to judge. I can get a job as a cna or a med aide so fast its not funny. I can't get a job in nebraska as a medical assistant because they want experience, and with only 180 hours of externship thats not enough.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

You know..I've "been around"...I'm 55 years old. I was laid off from a major company in June of 2009 and decided to go to school (Since the company would reimburse up to $10,000.00) I successfully completed the Medical Assistant course with a 3.73 GPA. I had no choice but to do my externship at a free medical clinic. Being a "free" clinic, naturally they don't pay the workers there, so that leaves me with trying to find employment elsewhere. NO ONE, yes NO ONE, will hire a MA here in Tampa unless the MA has experience. The reason that I started out by saying that I've been around, I'm stressing the fact that I know all about attitude, how you present yourself at a job interview, mannerisms,how to dress, ETC ETC but the bottom line is that NO ONE WILL HIRE A MA HERE IN TAMPA THAT DOES NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE. Plain and simple..........

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? NO!!

Paul-Are you the one who posted on Indeed.com that you have a better chance of getting a job as a lion tamer than as a Medical Assistant?

I started this thread because I was so dismayed over seeing how all the MA jobs around here ALWAYS insist on experience and all the others don't seem to state that. Another thing I am noticing is the office skills they want from an MA which tells me they really want a Medical Secretary-which I didn't go to school for 9 months to be.

There needs to be a congressional overhaul of these programs. That should be addressed in DC before they start tampering with financial aide. The program heads need to start concentrating more on working with the job sites, coming up with a solution as to what should an externship be, how long should it last, for that office to agree is long enough to be considered "EXPERIENCED".

Your Professional Title/Credentials: "RMA"

Are You Still In School? Hardly

Are You Working? Nope

My dear children. The best and only way you are going to get your foot into the door is volunteer and get the necessary experience that you need. Trust me, that is what I had to do to get started in my career.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

It's not fair that everyone is either saying your not qualified or you need more schooling after we have given those schools our money and they are still pushing school and we're not getting hired. In order to keep your certification and not lose it, you're going to have to spend more money to keep your certification before it expires. To me this is insane. Going back to Administrative work. It's like your chasing work. I give up.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Certified Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

It is so nice to know I am not the only one that is severely frustrated with not being able to find a MA job! I have been out of school for almost one year and I have yet to find a job.
And I am running into the same problem as most... no experience. I have actually asked some prospective employers how I am to have the experience if no one is willing to hire me!
If I would have known then, what I know now, I would never have gone to school, wasted my time, spent the money or taken on a grant that has to be paid!!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: NRCMA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? nope

Are You Working? yep

I dont know about everyones area but alot of places wont let you just walk in and volunteer.

After almost an entire year of applying over and over and over again, I finally got hired on at a doctors office. I love it there and couldn't have asked for a better PA to be working with or a better office staff. It is amazing what you can find when you set your heart on something and go after it until you have it. I applied every day to many different offices. To be honest, the office I applied at had over 15 interviews and everyone had experience but me. they chose me out of all of them. All I can say people is just keep applying. It may seem like you wont get hired but you have to go into the interview saying this is my new job. where will i be sitting. who will i be working with like you already have it. confidence is key!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? nope

Are You Working? FINALLY YES!

I'm in the same boat as you. I have been out of school for a year. I have applied at private offices,hospitals, dentist, and nursing homes (they wont hire because i dont have CNA). I have asked time and time again what I can do to land a job. People say temp services will help but where i am the temp services are not for the medical field. I hope i didn't go to school for no reason except to owe tones of money.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Reading back on the all the responses to Medical Assistants not finding a position.

In this grueling world of seeking a position, in any field, you - yourself - have to make that first impression. If you resume looks sloppy or unprofessional, I will turn it down.

Your resume is your "TUX", "Suit and Tie", how ever you want to look at it. Its all reflecting you!

What have you done to gain experience? Have you volunteered your time? There are so many opportunities to gain exper. out there.... without getting hired to place on your resume. That makes you stand out from others becasue it shows you have a great work ethic! Willing to learn and work for things that might not start out at the top!

Volunteer such as : American Red Cross, Medical Corps reserve, CERT, WEAVER, AAMA, AMT, Community involvement, church, ect.......

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

There are plenty of jobs available. I just got my national certification and didn't have any experience, but got a job in a private practice. The program I went through provided really good job placement assistance. I would suggest that anyone having trouble finding a job just find the right people to ask for help. If you want to go through my program sponsors there website is: www(dot)MedicalCareerSpecialists(dot)com

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Forum Admin

IF you have a previous work comp injury then it is likely that no one will touch you with a ten foot pole as an employee. They do not want to take that chance as you are a risk to them. I have dealt with Work Comp for many years in my previous employment and usually the company for which you worked for would find some type of work for you to do or that is within your disability. You will not be able to do any MA work as this would mean you would be on your feet all day, draw blood, helping patients into wheelchairs, etc.... something just doesn't sound right to me......

Your Professional Title/Credentials: NCMA, LPN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes