How to become a Freelance Transcriptionist

In this age of outsourcing and crowdsourcing, there is tremendous prospect for the work at home types. Freelance work is more attractive than even before.

As I myself turn to freelance work from being a fulltime transcriptionist I thought it'd be useful if I jot down some thoughts on becoming a transcriptionist.

What is transcription: Transcription is the process of converting recorded audios or videos into text. A transcriptionist is one who types out these recordings into word processors. There are many types of transcriptions depending on the industries they serve - podcast transcription, legal transcription, general transcription, medical transcription, business transcription, etc.

Skills required for a good transcriptionist or transcriber are:

• Typing speed - the more you can type with high accuracy the more you earn. Anywhere between 90 - 150 wpm (words per minute) is ideal.
• Listening skills - as you will be typing out whatever is recorded, your listening skill has to be excellent.
• English comprehension - you must be able to comprehend and understand the context of words used and have some idea at least of the subject spoken about.
• Patience - a huge reserve of patience is required to sit and type for hours on end. Of course, it is good practice to leave your desk once in a while.
• English grammar - basic knowledge of English grammar is required to use punctuations correctly and know when to use which form of verbs etc.
• Exposure to different accents is also useful when the speaker is of a non-English speaking background.

Turning Pro

It is highly recommended to work for a transcription company before turning pro and going freelance. There are no strict requirements to become a transcriptionist. All you need is a good grasp of English and compentent use of computers and internet.

Once you decided to go freelance, it is a must to have at least one client to provide you with ongoing work.

Never stop selling your services : Blog on!

Market yourself and your services by setting up a blog or website and using Twitter and Facebook to connect with potential clients and businesses. You must not stop selling your services.  One of the best ways of doing that is to write a blog.  Write consistently and try to connect with potential customers everyday. 

Essential Tools of the trade

• An up-to-date computer with internet connection is a must.
• Install your computer with a word processor like MS Word or OpenOffice.
• Philip’s SpeechMike or Express Scribe: To play the audio files you need an audio player like Philip’s SpeechMike, which is not free or Express Scribe, which is free.
• An email account is necessary to send and receive files or an FTP account where client can upload and download files would be essential.
• Foot pedal: While you transcibe an audio file, both your hands are busy typing so it is essential to have a foot pedal to control the audio player. It is not possible to listen to an audio and type everything out simultaneously, so the rewind and playback on the player is controlled by the foot pedal without the need for your hands!
• Headphone: You may have a speaker set up with you computer but it is common practice to listen to audios using headphones.

How much can you earn: It is not unusual for a transcriptionist to charge anything between $0.50 to $3 per minute of recorded audio or video file. This rate is dependent on many factors like -

• the quality of the recordings also known as dictations - if it is poor, you could charge higher rates.
• number of speakers - the more the speakers the more you can charge.
• turn around time (TAT) - TAT refers to the time by which client requires the file returned. A TAT of 24 - 48 hours is normal in legal transcription. TAT of 4 or 2 hours is deemed urgent or priority and can be charged more.

It is quite possible to complete 90 minutes of audio a day by a good transcriptionist. Therefore, his earning could be anywhere between $45 to $270 per day working as a freelance transcriptionist.

  

How to Become an Excellent Transcriber

Within six months of joining a transcription company as TC (typist/transcriber) I was promoted to QC (Quality Checker) from a novice transcriber.  In the following short two years, I was made Team Coordinator, and then Assistant Team Leader.

And in doing so, I more than tripled my salary in 3 years as a legal transcriber!

How did I do that?

Well, I have these few secrets that help me to be a better transcriber.  These are what I call my secret sure-fire ways to be a better transcriber.

It’s all about quality, NOT quantity

As transcibers (TCs) a lot of my colleagues focused their attention on their typing speeds and other statistics.  And, you know what, after 3 or 4 years they are still transcribers while I moved up the ladder.

From day one, I concentrated on my quality/accuracy. I was and am only interested in getting everything right – the words, the phrases, the tenses, the format, the grammar. 

Don’t get me wrong.  Being productive is well and good.  And, as a transcriber there are certain expectations you have to meet but first concentrate on quality.  Everything else will follow.

Being the fastest transcriber crunching out hundreds of pages a day will not help unless your transcript meets the quality standards of your clients. It may be helpful if you work by yourself and get paid by the pages or line count.  Because someone else (a QC) will have to proofread the whole transcript anyway.  That’s why quality should be your first priority; not quantity.

How To Improve Your Transciption Quality

• Improve your comprehension skills: The most important skill you can develop as a transcriber is your comprehension skill.  All else will follow.  Accurate comprehension of dictations is what most transcribers struggle with. To improve your comprehension skills its important you practice listenting to different accents. Try watching the news on foreign TV channels in English.
• Improve your English vocabulary: Make it a point to note down every new word your come across in your work or anywhere else.  Note down and look up a dictionary for its meaning.
• Brush up your basic grammar: Remember the boring English grammar classes in high school?  Well, now is the time to revise and improve upon it.  Most transcribers struggle with the basics!  Tenses and verbs are pretty important so do learn them again.
• Create Notes for each client: By notes I mean a document where you note down commonly occuring uncommon words, addresses, names, places, legal terms, technical terms, etc unique to a client.   These notes will be a quick reference for you and your colleagues when in doubt or when clueless about anything in the dictation.  And over time, these reference notes will be a resource for everyone.

It’s Team Work

In an office setting, interpersonal skills go a long way in developing your career.  They can break or make your career.  Transcription industry is not exception.  I got my promotions with the help of my (previous) Team Leader!

Granted transcription job can be routine and mundane, but that’s not an excuse to be a recluse.  Make it a point to get up from your cubicle and interact with your colleagues and team members.  Remember, transcription jobs a team work unless you are a freelance transcriptionist working from home.

• Always be presentably dressed.
• Always be helpful.
• Be understanding to new transcribers.
• Be ready to work beyond the call of duty.
• Be proactive and take initiatives in your work.
• Ask when in doubt.
• Ask for feedbacks on your work from quality analysts (QCs) and your Team Leader.

To conclude, transcription is a team work where it takes at least two persons to complete a job.  But, with practice and perseverence one should be able to work alone and produce transcripts that meet the quality standards of clients.  And, that’s the ultimate goal because it only gets easier and better from there on.  I promise.

What is Transcription?

With globalization, outsourcing has become the norm in business.  Organizations and individuals are always looking to maximize their profit and minimize their costs.  Also, to improve their overall efficiency outsourcing is a must.

Although transcription is a very small portion of the global outsourcing volume, this has been increasing steadily.


India and the Philippines are the favorite destinations for outsourced transcription jobs.

Transcription is the process of converting recorded audios called dictations into text.

For example, in legal transcription, a law firm sends their dictations to the legal transcription company.  The legal transcription company then delegates their voice files to their transcribers who transcribes (listens and types out) the audios into a word processor.  These converted documents are then sent back to the law firm or solicitors.

Documents may include letters, reports, interrogations, interviews, conferences, memos, etc. 

You might be familiar with medical transcription, but its not the only branch of transcription.  We have legal transcription, business transcription, conference transcription, media transcription, etc.

 As a job or career, transcription is a worthwhile option to look at.  Anyone good with English grammar and comprehension has the potential to be a transcriber.  But, to excel one needs good typing speed, ability to follow instructions, a lot of common sense, an eye for details and thoroughness.

An excellent transcriber can easily go freelance and work from home.  Starting up one's own business in transcription is another option.
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Transcription career: 7 steps to promotions and glories

Getting promotion is not always about getting a raise and being content in your transcription career. It’s not about that fleeting lift you get from being looked up by other transcribers and being among the inner circle of the heavy-weights in your office.

It’s more about a step towards fulfilling your life’s goals and dreams. It’s all about the fulfillment of your personality and being the best you can be, as a legal transcriber. It’s about reaping more dividends from the talents you were bestowed upon.



Here is a personal story of my professional life.

A few years ago, a little over three years to be precise, I joined this legal transcription company where I still work.


I was a fresher then, not really knowing what I got myself into. But even then I never lost sight of my dreams and aspirations.

I consciously worked my way up by being helpful and learning the new trade as fast as I can. I take on more work and try my hand at even the hardest jobs around to taste the waters.

I would always voice my opinions and question the old or conventional way of doing things. Discussed my concerns and my new frangled ideas with my team leader who may even discard my ideas outright – though they secretly know it’s a good one!

I asked my seniors about everything job related and try to know everyone in the office and their position.

I learned as much as I can about the company and how the business side of the company was ran. I tried to learn how they got their contracts and how much they charge for the job that I do.

When I do a good job I would casually let my colleagues know and my team leader aware. I let my team leader know when I was ready to take on more and difficult jobs.

I asked for promotions and raise when I feel I deserved them!

Not only that, I was always looking at new openings and opportunity within (and outside) the company where I will be more valued and where I can provide more value to the company.

This opportunity came in the form of an evening shift team my company was assembling a year or so back. They wanted this team to handle urgent files and mostly new clients. People were naturally apprehensive and unwilling to change their comfortable environs. The shift was an inconvenience too.

This was fantastic news for me. It was an inviting door where I could explore my capabilities and add value to my work. This was the opportunity to prove my worth. And I did.

So I talked with my then Team Leader about my possible inclusion in that team and the possibility of my being promoted! Just like that. By accepting this challenge, I easily got two important promotions leading to Assistant Team Leader (ATL). Within three years I got promoted three times and now, I am an ATL who is included in some decision making matters of even the company!

No, that is not my goal from the beginning but rather a small step towards what I look for in life. Like financial independence, running a business of my own and/or successfully writing a blog!

Now all these may seem like a lot of work and it is, no doubt, but the pay off is good too.
Getting the promotion you always deserve is not that elusive as it sounds; nor is it that difficult.

 7 steps to promotions and glories

Step 1. Define your professional goals and long-term aims: Have goals and aims which are much bigger than a position in your company, like financial independence or setting up a startup in another 10 years from when you started working or running a successful blog from home. Never shy from having big goals, for your goals will determine what strategies and work ethics you should follow to attain your goals.

Step 2. Be proactive: Always be in communication with your seniors and bosses. Take advices when in doubt, ask questions when confused, and learn all you can about the company you work for, your colleagues, bosses and even investors. There is much to be learnt from other people, especially your bosses.

Step 3. Seek Opportunities: Opportunities exist in every walk of life, every company small or big. Always be on the look out for that opening and give your all to make the best of it. Those are your personal as well as professional growth opportunities.

Step 4: Go the Extra Mile: Don’t be afraid to be the most hardworking man/woman in the team/company. Go the extra mile to outshine the rest. Showcase your unique individuality and talents before your colleagues and bosses. Let them know you are worthy of being promoted.

Step 5: Highlight your Achievements: Tell your colleagues and bosses when you do something right, or complete your project successfully in time. Don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet, because no one else will blow it for you; they’ve got their own to blow.

Step 6: Ask for Promotion: Just ask your bosses to give you what you deserve. Bosses are not always aware of such deserving personnel! So, remind them. Get the promotion or raise you always deserve.

Step 7: Look at the Big Picture: Do remember that a promotion is just a small step towards your life’s goals. Never tire to make improvements in your life – personal or professional. As a creative being your ultimate goal is to improve yourself. The very process of working towards such life’s goals is the ultimate joy of being alive and successful – not the promotion.

What is Legal Transcription?

Legal transcription is the process of converting audio recorded dictations into text relating to law and courts.

Transcription process involves recording dictations and then typing out these recorded dictations using word processors such as MS Word or WordPerfect.



A transcription is said to be legal transcription if the subject matter is of legal nature. Legal transcriptions are required by law firms and solicitors on a daily basis.  Legal transcripts may include court proceedings, normal correspondences between law firms and their clients, between law firms and other parties, witness statements, memos, etc.

Legal transcription services are usually outsourced to a legal transcription company by law firms and solicitors. The legal transcription company may or may be located within the same country as the law firm.

Law firms usually outsource their legal transcription work to companies located in third world countries as they charge lower rates with same or better quality and efficiency.  India and Philippines have become a favorite for US and UK law firms to outsource to because of low cost and their "English" education systems.

How much do legal transcription companies charge?

Transcription companies usually charge anything between $.50 to $3 per audio minute, depending on several factors like:

• Number of speakers
• Quality of recording/dictation
• Turn around time - whether urgent or not
• Type of payment they agree to with the law firm: Whether payment is on monthly basis or lump sum.
• Whether research is required or not

Law firms benefit from such outsourcing legal transcription companies by saving time, money and resources in the short and long-term.

A more cost effective business arrangement is to hire freelance transcriptionists and pay them by the recorded audio hour.