So. I’ve been unemployed for 4 months now. I search job postings diligently, and there’s just not a lot that I’m interested in applying for ($8/hr Kmart part-time cashier, anyone?) I’ve got mad skillz…the whole gamut of medical administrative experience (billing, insurance, transcription, scheduling, front and back office, database management, composing correspondence, terminology, medical-legal procedures, credentialing, executive meeting management, etc) I’ve enjoyed the last 8 years that I’ve worked in the medical field, and don’t plan to stray too far from it. As I’ve struggled in this journey for work, I’ve been REALLY enjoying the time I’ve been able to spend at home. It’s gotten me more interested in stay-at-home career opportunities. I’ve had a nagging desire for about 6 years to get certified as a medical coder. I have some coding experience, but not enough to get a job. Through the encouragement of some old coworkers who code, I’ve decided to go for it. Yesterday I signed up for the Inpatient/Outpatient Coding and Medical Billing course. If I work at it full time, it should take about 4 months. I know I want to finish my bachelor degree, but I’ve strongly felt that now is not the time for that. It’s time to get a career skill that is more professional and portable….and one that will get me earning money faster than a bachelor would. So wish me luck, in a few months I’ll have the CPC credentials after my name.