3 Reasons Why You Haven't Made It In Transcription (Yet)

3 Reasons Why You Haven't Made It In Transcription (Yet)

Separating Average from Outstanding - Three Reasons Why You Haven't Made It In Transcription (Yet)

Whatever the reason may be, you might not be entirely satisfied with your current employment situation. It could be because of the work hours, lack of flexibility, office environment, or even just your own desire to spend more time at home.

It is about time that we face the facts: we all get caught up in the stereotypical idea of the not-so-secret life of the American full-time employee.

The truth is you don't have to deal with a career path that doesn't suit you. There are plenty of options (that do not include unemployment) that can give you the flexibility, income, and feeling of satisfaction that you need. One of those options is a career in transcription.

What Does a Transcriptionist Do?

Transcriptionists perform their work by translating audio files into typed documents. The individual jobs can fall under the categories of general, medical, and legal. The field of transcription is not going away anytime soon there will always be a high demand for accurate human transcriptionists.

More often than not, we hear from people who don't know what transcription is and never considered it as a career before. In fact, most people who find out about transcription were originally looking into ways they can make more money or have better work hours. We occasionally hear from someone whose interest in transcription was piqued because they are incredibly fast at typing, and wanted to see how they can use this skill.

While a career in transcription is not likely to save the world, it is a highly valued occupation by many professionals today. In order to make the most out of a career in transcription, it is important to have the skills that it takes to become more efficient and effective in translating audio files.

3 Reasons Why You Have Yet To Be Successful In Transcription

1. Your Typing Speed is Slow

speed type

It is pretty clear that, in order to successfully navigate a career in transcription, you should be able to type accurately at an efficient speed. A typical transcriber can type an average of 80 to 100 words per minute. If the average person speaks at a rate of 150 to 170 words per minute, a successful transcriber will need to be able to keep up as much as possible to be efficient in transcribing audio documents. It is common for a professional to take 2.35 minutes to transcribe 1 minute of audio.

Not only is it important to catch all of the words that are said in the audio file, but it is also essential to have correct spelling and maintain accuracy throughout the typed document that you are creating. By developing your typing skills, you may be able to increase your typing speed and become more familiar with autocorrect features on your computer.

2. You Have Low Attention to Detail

listening skills

When it comes to transcription services, the level of difficulty of an audio file is determined by how many people are speaking, any accents or speech variations they might have, and the sound quality of the file. A job with a higher level of difficulty usually results in a better pay rate for that particular project, which is why it is in your best interest to develop the skills that it takes to perform these more challenging tasks.

Additionally, it serves you well to be a master in English grammar. When translating audio to text, your speed and effectiveness will be improved if you have a strong awareness of proper language and punctuation usage. By developing your listening and grammar skills, you will be able to understand what the speakers are saying and in what context, and your efficiency in transcribing will improve significantly.

3. You Do Not Practice

Practice

As with all great careers, the only way to develop your skills is by practicing. Transcription may seem difficult at first, and you might be startled to find out that it requires such a high level of listening and typing skills. Nevertheless, it's a very rewarding career, and putting in the work to become better at it will result in great financial benefit.

Practice Your Transcription SkillsTyping: To practice your typing skills, there are a couple of options that you have. Popular websites that provide tools to increase typing speed include TypingTest.com, Typing.com, and Keybr.com.

Listening: This skill can be your superpower when it comes to being an effective transcriber. However, not a lot of people understand the importance of practicing this skill to become better at it. For free listening practice, an online tool you can use it listen-and-write.com.

How Do I Become an Outstanding Transcriptionist?

As with all freelance jobs, some people try and fail to break into the transcription industry. To be successful, you must have an understanding of transcription, and the motivation to work independently.

Transcription is like any job in terms of what it takes to be successful. What separates average transcriptionists from outstanding ones is typing and listening skills, and the level of experience through practice. Some additional ways to improve your chance of success in a transcription career are to pursue higher education or attend workshops and lectures to improve your overall awareness. Furthermore, it is important for those pursuing a career in transcription to have a well-written resume.

The number one way to improve your skills as a transcriptionist is by taking a transcription training course. Through a course like this, you can improve your listening, accuracy, and grammar skills. Not only will you learn what you need to know to become an expert transcriptionist, but you will also learn about the best practices of the industry so that you could potentially start up your own business.

become an outstanding transcriptionist

While some people believe that transcription is an easy job with little to no training required, that is not the case. As with all professions, what you put in is what you get out. If you are willing to put in the effort to exceed all expectations and become an outstanding transcriptionist, the reward will be boundless.

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