Are you wondering how to become a transcriptionist? Transcription work can provide a decent income and – importantly in this day and age – you can do it from home. Below, we’ll take a look at how to become a transcriber, what transcriptionist certification is and why it’s worth exploring specialist areas of the profession. Shall we dive in?
Becoming a Transcriptionist
Transcriptionists take video or audio files and turn them
into text. If you’re looking to become a transcriptionist, you’ll need certain
core skills. One of these is an outstanding grasp of the language that you plan
to transcribe. We’ll look in detail at the skills required for becoming a
transcriptionist a little later in this article, but strong linguistic
abilities are so important that they warrant a mention right from the
outset!
In a moment, we’ll walk you through a step by step guide to
establishing a transcriptionist career. First, however, let’s look at why you
might want to do so.
Being able to work with language is a key driver for many.
Those who love the written word and have a good head for details often find
transcription to be a fulfilling career choice.
It can pay well too. Payscale reports that the average
transcriptionist salary in the UK is £19,909 per year or £9.36 per hour. Over
in the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average
transcriptionist can expect to earn $35,250 per year or $16.95 per hour.
Then there are the lifestyle benefits. Are you relishing the
prospect of commuting to work on public transport right now, then spending time
with others in an enclosed space?
If you’re looking into how to be a transcriptionist, it’s
likely that these benefits won’t be far from your mind. Whether you work
remotely for a transcription company on a fulltime or part-time contract or
choose to sell your services as a freelancer, working from home means no time
lost commuting, no need for formal office attire.
Before you launch into working as a transcriptionist, let’s
take a look at the specialised areas of work available to you and consider why
you might like to specialise in the first place.
Specialized Fields in Transcription
Do you happen to have any legal or medical knowledge, as
well as a generally superior command of language? How about another kind of
specialist knowledge that you could use to boost your transcription career?
Specialising can mean both a higher income and access to more of the kind of work
that particularly interests you. Who wouldn’t want that?
Do you need a certificate to be a transcriptionist? You may
if you choose to specialise. Transcription specialisations are about more than
knowledge alone. While each country or region has its own rules, the chances
are you will need to evidence your specialist skills in some way. Many
countries have specific certifications set up in order to facilitate this.
We’ll look at a couple of examples of these while exploring some of the more
common types of transcription specialisation.
If, on the other hand, you’re a company that’s seeking to
understand more about transcription services and the need for them within the
business world, you can click the link below for further details.
Want to know the entire gist but in a hurry? Luckily for you, here’s a handy video that sums this article up.
Legal
Legal transcription is one of the most sought-after
specialisations within the profession. It requires extensive knowledge of legal
terminology, procedures and systems. Lawyers and their teams use transcription
to turn recordings into written documents. They use these to help them prepare
for court cases and some of the documents end up being used in the cases
themselves.
Clearly, accuracy in legal transcription is absolutely
essential, and this is impossible to achieve without the relevant legal
knowledge.
Do you have to be certified to be a transcriptionist within
the legal sector? Probably, yes, though you’ll need to check locally to be
sure. Many countries require their legal transcriptionists to be certified or
licensed in some way.
In the US, for example, to work as a court reporter you
would need to be licensed or certified in many states. A court reporter
transcribes the dialogue in the courtroom, albeit using stenography equipment
rather than a computer with a foot pedal. Suitably skilled individuals can
prove their abilities through the National Court Reporters Association and the
National Verbatim Reporters Association.
Medical
Medical transcriptionists are highly prized for their
specialist knowledge, just as legal transcriptionists are. Are you wondering
how to become a certified transcriptionist in the medical sector? If so, you’ll
need first and foremost to ensure that your medical terminology is on point.
You can then investigate the requirements in your local region in terms of
certification and licensing.
Most medical transcriptionists work in hospitals, doctors’
surgeries, laboratories and other medical settings. However, as with so many
roles of late, the potential for working from home is beginning to be far more
widely understood and appreciated.
Other Fields of Specialisation
While legal and medical transcription are the most common
specialisations, there are certainly not the only ones. We’ve included a couple
of other examples below to get you thinking creatively about how you could
specialise, but this is certainly not an exhaustive list, so if you have an
interest you would like to pursue, it’s well worth checking out.
Become a Captioning Transcriptionist
Captioning is a specialist form of transcription that
provides text for video or audio in either real-time or as an ‘offline’ (i.e.
not live) service. Real-time captioning is one of the most demanding forms of
transcription (and thus one of the most well-paid).
Become a CART Transcriptionist
Another form of transcription is communication access
real-time translation (CART) captioning. This is the provision of captioning
services in real-time on behalf of audiences who are deaf or hard of hearing.
It can be delivered for both in-person and online events. If it’s closed
captioning, the transcriptionist may be required to record other pertinent
sounds as well as the spoken dialogue (audience laughter, for example).
Become a Research Transcriptionist
If your research skills are as outstanding as your language
and typing skills, then research transcription might be your answer to how to
become a transcriptionist from home. You’ll need to be interested in and up to
date with local and global current affairs and have your ‘eye on the ball’ to
keep up with the pace of this demanding transcription field.
Key Skills You Need to Become a Transcriptionist
Working out how to become a transcriptionist means knowing
the skills that you will need for the role. We’ve touched on some of these
already, but we thought it would be handy to pull them together into one list.
So here goes!
• Language skills – language skills are essential to
successful transcription. Your grammar, vocabulary and general linguistic
abilities need to be tip top.
• Exceptional listening skills – to work as a transcriber,
you need to be able to listen in a focused and effective manner. If you’re apt
to tune out when people are speaking, transcription may not be the career for
you.
• Tech skills – transcription involves using both
transcription software and hardware, so you need to be confident with
technology. Relevant kit includes foot pedals, headsets, stenography equipment
and more, depending on the nature of the transcription work that you are planning
to undertake.
• Fast and accurate typing skills – this is another
non-negotiable area of transcription work. You need to be able to type fast and
to type well. Ideally, you’ll be able to type at a speed of 85 words per minute
and upwards.
• Specialist knowledge – if you plan to provide specialist
transcription services, you’ll need to back up your offer with the relevant
terminology. Do you need a degree to be a transcriptionist? Not necessarily,
but you will need to prove you have the knowledge needed by the specialist
field in question.
• Attention to detail – is your written work relaxed and
slightly slap-dash or incredibly tightly controlled and careful? It will need
to be the latter if you want to make it as a professional
transcriptionist.
• Proofreading skills – proofreading is your final chance to
catch any typos or errant commas before you deliver the transcription to the
client. It might seem like a headache to have to go over your work after you’ve
finally finished typing it, but not only does this need to be done, it needs to
be done accurately.
Steps You Need to Take to Become a Transcriptionist
How do I become a transcriptionist? If you meet all of the
transcription requirements above in terms of skills and knowledge, it’s time to
establish your career. Here’s how.
Step 1 – Choose One of the Specialized Transcription
Fields Above
If you’re set on being a transcriptionist, it’s time to put
your specialist knowledge to good use. Choose your specialisation and obtain a
qualification or licence if required in order to evidence your abilities. Of
course, you can still earn decent money undertaking general transcription work,
but specialist transcription is the icing on the cake.
Step 2 – Establish Your Online Presence
Traditional job-hunting used to mean having an up-to-date
and relevant CV. These days, you can deliver the same information through your
web presence. Whether it’s through a website of your own, a Facebook page for
your transcription service or an online portfolio site, it’s time to shout
about your services, your skills and how it will benefit companies to engage
you to transcribe for them.
Step 3 – Look for Gigs
Once you’ve chosen your specialism and prepared your online
presence, it’s time to go out and find some work – or to stay home and find
some work, as is more likely these days. There are various ways to do so…
Networking
Remember all those business contacts you’ve made over the
years? It’s time to reach out to them. Make sure your LinkedIn (or local
equivalent) is up to date and start letting people know that you’re offering
transcription services. You can use various marketing techniques, from
introductory offers to referral bonuses. Just make sure to take a personalised
approach rather than spamming your entire contact list with a generic template
letter.
Applying Through Agencies
There are plenty of transcription agencies online and many
of them are happy to give newbies a chance. They might not pay as well as work
that you can source directly (and where you don’t miss out on the cut the
agency takes) but they can be a ready supply of regular income, which is often
the priority in the early days of establishing a transcription career.
Volunteering and Internships
If you’re struggling to get paid work due to a lack of
transcription experience, consider giving your time freely through volunteering
or an internship. You’ll gain valuable experience that you can then use to win
other gigs. You may also find that your volunteer role or internship turns into
something longer-term – and something that pays!
Step 4 – Become a Transcriptionist
Once you’ve got your first gig under your belt, you’ve
basically cracked how to become a transcriptionist. Repeat your success with
more and better paying work by providing accurate transcriptions, delivered on
time and with memorable customer service. Simplicity itself!
Looking for a Transcriptionist?
Are you looking for the best transcription jobs online? If
yes, then here is an excellent list of top transcription companies to get the
best transcription jobs from home. I have mentioned the requirements, average
earning, and paid mode. So, let's look at these stop transcribing companies
that give you well-paying transcription jobs.
#1. GMR Transcription
Anyone can get the best transcription jobs from home quickly
on GMR Transcription. There are many opportunities to join and do not require
previous experience. But a foot pedal is required, and it is available for
residents of the U.S.
This platform pays every month through PayPal, and it also
has a direct bank transfer service. If you transcribe a 1-minute audio file in
a given format with accuracy, you get paid around $1. Hence, it is one of the
best platforms to get the
highest paying transcription jobs.
#2. Upwork
Upwork is popular to get freelance jobs in various fields,
and also it is the largest freelance service marketing network. As I just told
you, it is a freelancing platform where you can get the best transcription jobs
from home and earn as you get clients. But there is no necessary experience to
find the best transcription jobs online.
You may ask to pay your clients via multiple payment
methods. Upwork allows you to get paid through PayPal, Payoneer, wire transfer
(USD), and local bank service. If you wish to get a vast range of experience,
you can consider this platform.
#3. Castingwords
Castingwords is the platform with the best
transcription jobs for beginners. Here freshers also may apply and earn
around $0.15 per minute for transcribed work. Don't think they are paying less
because they also pay you an additional bonus.
But the chances of getting your best transcription jobs are
average. They have multiple payment options such as PayPal, Visa, and
electronic bank transfers. Hence, you can also consider this platform to get
your best-paying transcription job.
#4. TranscribeMe
The next platform to find the best transcription jobs for
you is TranscribeMe. This platform is for everyone, either freshers or
professional transcriptionists. There is enough opportunity for anyone, but you
should have fulfilled the basic requirements. You transcribe a few minutes-long
video clips and get paid via PayPal on the platform.
You are allowed to withdraw your earnings anytime here.
Also, the joining process is too simple as you have to register yourself first,
then you need to qualify for the test.
#5. Daily Transcription
The next platform to do transcription work is Daily
Transcription, where you can earn around $0.80 for each audio minute. Daily
transcription pays you every week with check payment. And it's also good paying
and one of the top
transcribing companies.
This platform never asks you for any previous experience,
but only the residents of the U.S. and Canada can apply. The requirement for
getting the best transcription jobs here is to have a minimum typing speed of
50w/m. After all, the good thing is that there is an excellent opportunity to
find the best transcription jobs online.
#6. Ubiqus
Ubiqus has various tasks for transcribers, even if you are a
beginner. The platform pays to you based on per word, and your earning will be
dependent on how many words you transcribe. But the company hires only U.S.
native speakers for it.
One thing about it is that it is perfect for getting the
best transcription jobs online for anyone. No matter who you are, you are
either fresher or experienced.
#7. 3Playmedia
If you are a U.S. resident and have a typing speed of 75w/m,
then you are eligible to apply on 3Playmedia. Here you get a good pay scale
with a minimum of $10 per working hour, and that is why it is an excellent
platform to search for the best transcription
jobs from home.
They provide jobs to proofread the already transcribed
files. You get your payment on this platform by check or direct deposit every
month.
#8. Rev
Rev.com is a very famous platform, and you may know it
already. But still, I want to tell you some about it and how you can transcribe
audio to text and earn money on Rev.com. The first good thing is that there are
high chances to get one of the best
transcription jobs from home, and freshers may also apply from anywhere.
They pay their transcribers around $1 per audio minute via
PayPal. The payments are always made every week.
#9. Speak Write
SpeakWrite asks applicants to have at least 1-year
experience and a minimum typing speed of 60 w/m with above 90% accuracy. Also,
it requires a personal foot pedal and other essential transcription tools. It
pays transcribers based on per word (0.005) with the added bonus of 10%.
Only the applicants from the U.S and Canada are allowed. You
can withdraw their payments twice per month via direct deposit. Because of it,
it is one of the best platforms on our list to search for the best
transcription jobs from home.
#10. Scribie
Scribie is also one of the best platforms, primarily for
beginners. It is suitable for professional and experienced transcriptionists and
provides the best
transcription jobs for beginners. To join this platform, you must pass its
certification test to evaluate your typing skills and accuracy. Once you get
joined, you transcribe audio clips in less than 10 minutes, and you get paid
around $10 to $25 per audio hour.
Also, you may withdraw your earnings through PayPal anytime.
Hence, you can join this platform to get the best transcription jobs from home.
#11. Crowd Surf
Crowd Surf is also an excellent platform to find the best
transcription jobs online. You may get an opportunity quickly on the platform
as they don't ask for any previous experience. You may earn a maximum of $0.20
per minute, and the added bonus will be added too.
Same as Castingwords, this platform also pays its employees
via various ways such as Visa and PayPal. The audio clips can be between 5 to
30 seconds in size to make work easier. Hence, if you wish to try this best
transcription website, you can try it.
Conclusion
Here we have discussed the platforms to find the best transcription jobs from home. Now you have many options, and I hope you got them helpful. And if you wish to keep reading such articles on how to make money online, follow me. I keep sharing articles on personal finance, entrepreneurship, and making money online.
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