Transcriptionist: Is It a Good Career That Can Bring Good Money?

We live in a day and age where you cannot rely on a single income unless you are satisfied with it. It is an age that needs hustlers, where one can complement a career job with other side hustles to earn a few extra bucks. It applies to the young and old alike.

Both college students, stay at home moms, not yet employed persons, and may need to make ends meet. One of the ways to legally earn money is through working from home as a freelancer. Freelancers belong to many if not only one group, you could be a writer, transcriptionist or one who chooses to produce work from handwriting to typed text.

What is the role of a Transcriptionist?

The work of a transcriptionist is to listen to an audio file and type it out in the format stipulated by the client. Sounds easy, right? However, you should remember that not all audio files are similar.

You are lucky if you get a file that is easy to transcribe. Sometimes, you get a file of people speaking over each other, or with thick accents that you cannot comprehend what they are saying.

How Much Can One Make as a Transcriptionist?

The amount of money that you will make will depend on several factors starting with the type of work that you offer. Are you an employee of the said company or are you working as a freelancer? Working as an employee, you will receive a set amount for the services offered, according to your contract.

On the other hand, the work of a freelance transcriptionist depends on:

• Skills

• Quality of the audio file

• Subject matter

Freelancers are paid depending on the client they have. Some pay according to the number of pages, the number of words written, and Audio Hour. The audio hour doesn’t imply that you will get paid according to the hours worked.

If a company is paying $40 audio hour, it means that is the pay you will get for transcribing an audio file whose length is one hour. The pay for freelance work is flexible depending on the client and the work you do.

Do I need to get a Certificate to be a Transcriptionist?

It depends on the rules of the company or client. However, most medical transcription work requires one to get a certificate from a credible institution. Before enrolling in any school, ensure that it has the proper accreditation.

You can work as a beginner without any training in transcription work, as long as you pass the test of the company or potential client. But you need to practice your typing and listening skills before you venture into a career as a transcriptionist.

How can I become Successful at it?

A career should be in a field that you are passionate about, but this doesn’t happen to all. You may base your career on just opting to turn handwriting into text. It is also possible to make real money as a transcriptionist and meet your daily expenses.

Below are ways in which you can be successful at it:

I. Get training

The transcribing work isn’t just about how fast you can type. True, it is an important but not the only ideal skill to possess. You need to be able to learn the different formatting styles of documents, proper notation of sections of a poor audio file, among many others.

II. Market your skills

Apply to various jobs, build your website, or even use social media to market your skills. Don’t use a selling point of view but adopt an approach of someone who is providing a much-needed service.

III. Go for Higher Paying Clients

The higher the client pays, the more you make. Simple.

Conclusion

You can work as a transcriptionist and be successful. It all boils down to your skills and client base.