Transcription – What is Transcription

Transcription – What Is It? And How Do I Get Started

One quick search for “transcription jobs” on the internet shows that there are many types of transcription jobs available. This could be a work from home part-time job, or someone who does the work of transcribing full-time. Some transcription jobs are done in an office setting, while some are performed from the convenience and comfort of your own home.

For those of you interested in working from home as a transcriptionist, there are a few things you need to know. Transcribing is very important because it takes the spoken word and records it verbatim into written documents that can serve as official records.

What exactly makes a successful transcriptionist?

1.    Are you a fast typist? There are different minimum requirements for each company, but each of them will require that you can type quickly and without error.
2.    Can you write well without spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors?
3.    Are you successful at meeting deadlines?
4.    Do you have good hearing acuity?
5.    Can you understand foreign accents?
6.    Are you willing to learn?
7.    If working from home, you need a reliable Internet connection as well as a foot pedal.
8.    Are you trained in medical terms, legal matters, or business functions (depending on the type of transcription you plan to do)?

What type of transcription should you work in?

There are several different types of transcription jobs available.

1. General Transcription. There are opportunities with headings: General Transcriptionist Needed. Typically this means that they need someone who can perform the tasks of transcribing either media, academic, entertainment or other English dictations. Some of the employers looking for these services are Government, Entertainment, Colleges or Universities, Authors, Teachers and Professors.
* Entertainment Transcription. This involves transcribing movies, television shows, talk shows and documentaries. No prior experience or formal training is required.  Many companies will give an online assessment, and as long as you pass, you’re ready to start transcribing!
* Media Transcription. This involves making a transcript of a recorded file or report that could be from radio, television, reports, interviews, conferences, speeches or discussions. Just like with Entertainment Transcription, no formal training is required, and all you must do is pass the company’s test.

2. Medical Transcription. A medical transcriptionist transcribes the dictations of medical professionals for the sake of documentation. Medical transcription training certification is required by most companies. There are several online medical transcription courses, and this is a field that is projected to grow at a fast rate through 2016.
3. Legal Transcription. Legal transcription jobs involve transcribing legal proceedings for documentation purposes.  Training programs are available and desirable for those who decide to pursue this type of transcription employment.
4. Business or Financial Transcription. This involves transcribing recordings from press conferences, meetings, interviews, annual meetings, and training sessions.
5. Voice Mail Transcription. Voice mail transcription is the process of transcribing voicemails as soon as they are received and then sending it to the person intended to through text or email as soon as completed. It is important that the transcriptionist has good accuracy and a fast typing speed because there is very short time between receiving the voice mail and needing to send the completed transcript. There is no training or prior experience involved. A fast internet connection is needed, and strict adherence to schedule is required.

For those of you who are interested in finding a transcription job, these are some helpful websites:

http://www.worldwideworkathome.com/transcription.html
This site also features a list of many potential employers for those interested in working from home as a transcriptionist.
www.mtjobs.com
This site is devoted solely to medical transcriptionists. It’s a great place to start looking for a medical transcription job and have lots of employment opportunities.
http://www.guru.com/index.aspx
Guru is a site where employers can post available jobs and then interested parties will make their bid for the job. In this case, the transcriptionist will be working as an independent contractor. You can get a basic membership for free, or if you want to have access to more jobs, then you can pay the membership fee ranging between $29.99 and $99.99 quarterly.

www.employmentguide.com
The membership to this incredible website is free and grants you the access to search hundreds of available jobs, post your previous work experience, and find a job that meets your qualifications.

Finding the right job for you may take a little research but be patient! There are many available resources on the internet, and lots of potential employment opportunities. Spend time researching which best fits your talents, abilities, and job expectations. Try to not become frustrated if you don’t find the perfect fit at first. Network with other people currently working in this field and find out how they got started.  Here is one last link that may help you get started: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/workfromhome/g/transcription.htm

 

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