Transcription - How I got started

I got such a response in comments and email about my post on transcription that I want to expand on it a little bit. I've found that when you're looking for a job working from home, it can seem a little bit overwhelming and it really helps to hear how a real person actually started doing it. Let me tell you exactly how I became a transcriptionist.

I knew this was going to be a good fit for me because of the nature of the work and the schedule. The process takes a couple of weeks or more, so I got started several weeks before I would leave my full-time job. (Keep in mind this is definitely something you can do on the side while continuing to work full-time. I think it's a great way to just earn extra money!)

I started learning about the different companies on WAHM. There are certain companies that will hire with little or no experience. Those are the ones I started sending my resume to. Initially I got hired with a company called Morningside Partners. They emailed me after they received my resume, with a sample test to complete. I returned that and soon I was ready to start working! However, I didn't do much work for them because I found their format for requesting work a little too complicated back then.

Then I decided to post my resume on Guru. A lot of people also use Elance. These sites have both companies and individuals looking for anything from ongoing transcription work (and many other fields) to a one-time project for a college student. Don't shy away from the one-time jobs - often they'll take someone inexperienced and you could get lucky and end up with long-term work that way. Not to mention it's a great way to build your resume.

I got my first real job (that I did for a long time) on Guru. They emailed me after I had bid on their job (through the Guru website) and I began working for them. The pay was small - about $40 per audio hour - but for a newbie it was totally expected! I was soon bumped to $50 an hour.

The key to making money and having steady work is to contract with at least two companies. I soon found another transcription opportunity that interested me on WAHM and contacted that individual. He hired me within a couple of weeks. (You will often not hear specific company names discussed because of company policies but don't worry - it is not difficult to find out where they are. Check out my original transcription post to find a link to companies that hire newbies.)

Eventually I even got hired on with a third, very well-known transcription company. I then stopped working with the original company I'd contracted through. Honestly, I have two small kids and I'm only working nights and weekends so two is enough for me. The first company paid the lowest for the amount of work - that was my bottom line.

So now I work with two companies. One company that pays very well (but is very strict on grammar rules and style) takes a one-month hiatus in the summer, so I did lots of extra work for the other company. The other company assigns weekend work that's not due until Monday night and the other company doesn't have Monday work, so that's when I do it.

I've been doing transcription for about two years now and I really enjoy it. I love the flexibility of hours and the fact that I can take work only when I want it and it really doesn't matter to the company if I don't. I do often work weekends, but I do the work at unimportant times to avoid missing t-ball games or taking the kids to the park on a warm afternoon, so it doesn't really bother me.

I'll post more about a typical schedule for me and details like that later. If you have any questions, I'd love to hear them. Please feel free to ask - this is why I started this blog!

Work At Home Possibilities - Transcription

When I first started searching for work-at-home positions, one of the first things I landed on was transcription. I thought this would be a good fit for me because I am a quick typist and the nature of the work was completely done online, so it wouldn't matter that I had the kids at home while I was working.

There are several types of transcription, including medical, legal and general. I do general transcription. Unlike the other types, which require (often expensive) training, there is no specific terminology involved with general transcription. You can transcribe anything from teleseminars to insurance recordings to House and Senate Hearings and beyond.

What is it? Transcription involves recieving an audio file, often from an FTP transfer, then listening to it and typing (usually a word document) in the format the company uses. Typically when you're hired on with a company, they will give you the information on how to recieve the files they give you, as well as their guidelines for creating the document. Different companies have different rules for everything - abbreviations, font, spacing, etc.

What equipment do I need to start? Transcriptionists use a special program to listen to the audio that has the ability to stop and start the audio as you need to. I use Express Scribe, which is a free program you can download. It has instructions on how to download audio with the function keys or if you choose to purchase a footpedal (which you typically do not need to start with), it is compatible with that. You will also need a good pair of quality noise-cancelling headphones. You can get a good pair at any Radio Shack or Wal-Mart. I am currently using this set, which I love! They are wireless, which is an added bonus. Do not try to do transcription with earbuds. Your ears will not thank you!

What else do I need to know? Transcription is not for everyone. If you don't type close to 80 words per minute, it may be difficult to meet turnaround times, which can vary from a couple of hours to 48 hours or more. The general rule of thumb is that it takes a beginning transcriptionist 1 hour to transcribe 15 minutes of audio. Tigerfish has a transcription test available on their website, which you can check out to see if this might be an option for you.

How do I get started? First you'll want to set up a resume that you'll use specifically for transcription positions. For more on that, read my post here. I also recommend you set up an account on Guru.com, which is where I got my first transcription position.

In addition to people who will browse on Guru looking for freelance transcriptionists, here is a list of companies that sometimes hire people with little or no experience.

My biggest advice is to just jump in and get your feet wet! The beauty of transcription is that it's something that can be done any time of the day. Companies don't care if you're up at 11 p.m. or 1 a.m. doing work, as long as you have it to them by their deadline. That said, I am often just picking up work to do at naptime. It's a simple way to earn income even if you're still working full-time. If you find that you do well with it, you can turn it into your full-time job and enjoy the benefits of a more flexible schedule.

MoneySavingMom - one of my favorite blogs - also did a post about getting started with transcription. Check that out here.