Transcription in simple word means to make a written note of what is being said, but it is not as simple as it sound and not as hard as one can think of. Let’s understand the word first, it is the process which allows us to turn the speech into text, yet not changing the meaning of the words said at the first place. So, there is more to it than just turning a speech into readable text. Transcription services can be classified as general, legal, medical business and media, you can choose the work you are interesting in. And no formal training is required to do such job except for medical transcription, where one needs to have some knowledge about the medical terminology.
Transcription has a great potential in a developing economy as it gives an opportunity to those who have a good knowledge of English. Transcription can be done on any audio or video at a very reasonable cost. What the requirements for Transcription are? A laptop connected to a high speed internet connection, good knowledge of English, other essentials are good headphones and sometimes, some freelancing websites demand for the requirement of a foot pedal. Do you own them, if yes, then you are eligible for Transcriptionist job.
Most of the websites ask for residency from some specific countries while others are open to hire Transcriptionist from all over the world. Transcription gives an opportunity to work in your convenient place at your convenient time, and these websites pay handsomely to those who are willing to put up there time and who want to earn well.
Transcription business has seen a huge growth in the recent times as the demand has been increased and the biggest reason to it, is that most of the big and small companies are outsourcing the work and outsourcing is costing them lesser than getting the job done by hiring someone. Hiring includes process to be followed like involving someone for the interview, taking speed test or transcription test, getting to know what the salary expectation is and checking whether the candidate is suitable for the job or not, while outsourcing the work means less involvement but more result orientation.
Even, starting your career or your business in Transcription can be lucrative as the companies offer a reasonable amount that everyone would love to earn while sitting on the couch, having coffee, listening to the conversation and putting those conversations in words. The audio file can consist of single spokesperson and sometimes it involves two or more than two speakers, so while transcribing always pay attention to details that whether you listen to another speaker or it is the previous speaker continuing.
Transcription work improves with time as you practice more and you get to know what to write and what to omit. There are few websites that ask for removing or ignoring the filler words while others ask you not to edit anything on your own. Few websites insist on correcting the slang while others do not want to rephrase anything in the conversation, they prefer to write exactly what have been spoken.
There are few things to keep in mind before choosing it as your career that you may encounter challenges in Transcription jobs in the form of poor sound quality, multiple speakers talking simultaneously, difficult to follow accents, talking over each other, audience interaction, voice unclear, distant conversations and many more. Any of these may result in slowing down your work and affecting your efficiency. Eventually frustrating the transcriptional and reducing their productivity. So a transcriptional has to be open to such obstacles and he should interact with client from time to time to understand the working.
A person who works as Transcriptional sharpens his or her skill of listening as well as of writing. As one has to listen, understand and write what is being spoken in the conversation in the audio or video files. The advantages that transcription jobs provide are you can choose the client or the file you want to transcribe, a few websites do give an opportunity to UN-choose the file that you have chosen at the first time but with a time limit.
The recording vary from 4 minutes to 60 minutes and the time required to submit the transcribed file vary accordingly. For example if one has to transcribe a file of 4 min- 6 min has to be submitted in 2 hours to 3 hours. And one who fails to deliver it in desired time has to pay a fine or deduction of amount and this may affect the rating of your transcription profile. But if one do the job with in the time limit, you may get bonus too.
So why not to stop worrying about the jobs, interviews, workstations, office, work pressure and join as a Transcriptionist where you can get ‘YOU TIME’, work at your convenience and earn while learning something new, meeting new clients and making easy money.
