Get Paid to Type: Transcription Job

Transcriptionists have the hefty duty of translating the spoken, recorded word into typed text. Whether they are listening to a doctor describing an autopsy, a lawyer talking about insurance claims, or simply a new boss addressing his company for the first time, transcriptionists need to listen closely and patiently type or write out each word into a formal document.

Types of Transcription Jobs 

There are three principal transcription careers that are currently growing in popularity. General transcription involves taking down verbatim various forms of business or addresses that need transcription. Such events can include company meetings, reviews, or interviews that need to be placed in a formal document. Medical transcription involves taking down patient information considered to be confidential, and then formatting this information as a document for a hospital’s, laboratory’s, or clinic’s record archives. Legal transcription, on the other hand, involves taking down legal proceedings, such as pleadings, in a format adhering strictly to those demanded by court documents.

What do You Need to be a Transcriptionist?

If you are interested in pursuing a career in transcription, you need to meet several requirements and qualifications. First, you need to be a good listener, as well as a fast typist. You also need to have a working knowledge of jargon pertinent to the field in which you will be working. You also need to know what the real, printed documents look like in order to fully grasp the importance of your duties, and know how fundamental it is for you to follow documentation and formatting protocols.

In order to train yourself to listen well while typing fast, you can start practicing with audio files. For instance, you can play a song whose lyrics are clearly enunciated by the singer. While the song plays, type the lyrics out as fast as you can. Practice this on as many songs as you can, until you reach a comfortable, constant speed. At this point, you can purchase or borrow tapes or disks of practice dictation. Use these disks frequently until you are used to hearing a voice and typing out words accordingly.

Do as much research as you can, not only on your transcription field, but on the duties that you will be required to have. Use the Internet to find out how many transcriptionists there are, and what associations you should join in order to be accredited. Beware of using the Internet, however, to do research on medical or legal jargon. Not all sites are peer-reviewed or updated, so you may be reading outdated or erroneous data.

Instead, visit your local library and look for books related to the transcription field of your choice. Look constantly at glossaries and be careful about how certain words are pronounced. Although no formal training is required for most transcriptionists, you may need to invest in seminars, symposiums, and training classes in order to hone your craft. Do not be afraid to spend on making yourself a better transcriptionist: the money you pay can be returned to you tenfold if you apply what you learn and study the field diligently.

How can You be a Transcriptionist?

A career in transcription is more demanding now than it was a few years ago, simply because the industry is growing and more and more people are interested in the job. You will need to face stiff competition, especially of people who have had more training than you. Meet this obstacle by undergoing training yourself, and by looking at all options for training. Some schools will offer distance programs, while some transcription companies can offer on-the-job training.

Know your country’s transcriptionist requirements. Some countries will require a minimum of a year and a half to two years of formal training, while other countries are not as strict. You may also need to obtain registration or certification of your status as a transcriptionist. For instance, medical transcriptionists are required to take examinations to obtain the Certified Medical Transcription, or CMT credential, which is administered by the American Association for Medical Transcription.

Know the terminology of your field completely, and be open to new learning. Your spelling and punctuation skills will definitely be put to the test, so you will need to practice your editing as well. The key to success in transcription is practice, so choose the field you want to specialize in, get a good grasp on the jargon, hone your listening prowess, and type as well as you can.

Transcription, whether it is medical, legal, or general, can earn you money. Know your field well and train yourself constantly, and you will certainly see profit from your efforts.

[image from Flickr user the8rgrl]