I like typing, however I’ve zero inventive writing potential. ZERO. I’ve blogged earlier than, however it often means sitting for hours at my laptop with a number of clumsy sentences written and no concepts for methods to proceed.
After I obtained pregnant with my first youngster, I needed to take one thing I knew I used to be actually good at — typing, grammar and punctuation — and switch it into an income-generating facet gig I may do at dwelling.
I discovered a course, Transcribe Wherever, and rapidly knew I had discovered one thing that was going to work for me and assist me discover transcription jobs that herald additional earnings. (Right here’s The Write Life’s overview of the Transcribe Wherever course if you would like particulars.)
Typing precisely what I hear from audio requires no creativity, until you rely the inventive punctuation required to interrupt up somebody’s looooong run-on sentence into smaller chunks.
What it does require is all the issues I already knew I used to be good at, and the course taught me methods to use these expertise to construct a enterprise.
Now two years later, I’ve three youngsters (yep… a two-year-old, a one-year-old, and a new child. No, we don’t get a lot sleep). I’m nonetheless doing transcription jobs from dwelling, and despite the fact that my household is rising and retaining me busier than ever, I’m additionally making more cash from transcription than ever earlier than as I get higher at my work and discover nice shoppers.
I work part-time working as a distant transcriptionist, about 20 hours every week, and I’m persistently ready to herald round $2,000 per 30 days for my household.
The place to search for transcription jobs
In the event you’re trying to get into the world of transcription, I’ve put collectively an inventory of firms the place it is best to think about on the lookout for work, together with a number of choices for authorized transcription jobs.
They’re loosely ordered in line with how a lot expertise you have to work there and the way a lot you may count on to earn via these jobs. So in the event you’re aiming for on-line transcription jobs for rookies, the primary few gadgets on this checklist are the very best place to start out.
Remember that most of those firms pay on a per audio minute fee, which doesn’t translate to how lengthy it takes to transcribe it.
The overall commonplace within the transcription trade is a 4:1 ratio, that means it often takes round 4 minutes to transcribe one minute of audio.
Right here’s the place to search for on-line transcription jobs.
1. Rev
One of many largest and most well-known transcription firms, Rev all the time appears to be hiring new candidates. It has assessments that you need to full earlier than you’re employed — the Rev transcription take a look at and grammar quiz — however it appears to all the time have work accessible.
Sometimes, you may select your personal schedule and do as a lot or as little work as you need.
Rev has a popularity for low pay, about 30 cents to $1.10 per audio or video minute. However if you wish to get began and have a totally versatile schedule whilst you’re studying and constructing your expertise, this is perhaps match. It’s additionally a method to check out on-line transcription jobs and earn some cash to see in the event you get pleasure from it earlier than you put money into coaching.
No expertise is required, though you do should go a take a look at. Rev additionally has choices for video captioning work, which pays at 54 cents to $1.10 per audio or video minute, and if you realize a overseas language, subtitle work for $1.50 to $3 per audio or video minute.
My buddy and colleague Kristie Cooley began out working for Rev and says: “I loved with the ability to go surfing at any time of the day to choose work. Its system can also be tremendous consumer pleasant!” On the flip facet, nonetheless, she additionally reported that the individuals who grade your accomplished transcripts could be inconsistent and provides totally different directions or suggestions.
2. TranscribeMe
TranscribeMe is one other good possibility in the event you’re on the lookout for on-line transcription jobs for rookies.
The corporate solely pays 25 cents per audio minute, however they break all of their work up into smaller chunks of two to 4 minutes. That makes this firm a pleasant selection when you’ve got solely a restricted quantity of time to spend on transcription or if you wish to achieve expertise with a big number of audio supplies.
3. SyncScript
SyncScript’s pay fee nonetheless isn’t spectacular, however it’s higher than the primary two choices on this checklist, beginning at 57 cents or 63 cents per audio minute primarily based on the task kind. That is one other firm to think about in the event you’re trying to get your toes moist within the transcription trade.
SyncScript is nearly all the time operating adverts to rent new transcriptionists. The corporate requires a typing velocity of 70+ phrases per minute and 98 p.c accuracy. It additionally requires new candidates to transcribe a seven-minute take a look at audio and go a grammar take a look at. When you’re on the crew, they ask you to be accessible to transcribe a minimal of three audio hours per week.
Cooley says about working for SyncScript: “Their communication is superior! Each single one of many information that I’ve gotten are tremendous clear audio.”
4. Focus Ahead
Focus Ahead is one other transcription firm that permits you to work as a lot or as little as you select. It does all types of transcription, from focus teams, conferences, and TV logging. The corporate pays 40 cents per audio minute, paid biweekly through PayPal, with alternatives to take part in higher-paying assignments the longer you’re with the corporate. It, too, requires candidates to go a transcription take a look at to high quality.
5. Every day Transcription
Every day Transcription steadily advertises for brand new transcriptionists to hitch their crew, and it pays a higher fee than a number of the firms described above, about 75 cents to 85 cents per audio minute.
It supplies coaching so you may study as you go, and it pays weekly through test. Its work tends to deal with video and tv transcription, however you’ll additionally discover some authorized and tutorial work.
Every day Transcription requires a expertise evaluation take a look at and a transcription take a look at to get began, and you have to have typing expertise of not less than 50 phrases per minute.
6. Ubiqus
I spent some time working for Ubiqus once I first obtained began, so I can verify this can be a good firm to work for. The corporate affords basic, authorized, and medical transcription jobs.
Ubiqus’ pay construction is a little bit totally different than most different firms; it pays per phrase as an alternative of per audio minute. The speed of pay varies relying on the content material of the audio.
It’s laborious to match a per-word fee with a per-minute fee, and there are a number of variables similar to how rapidly or slowly somebody talks, however it roughly averages out to round $1 per audio minute, give or take. I personally favor a per-minute fee, as a result of then you realize precisely how a lot a job pays you earlier than you begin it. With a per-word fee, you actually do not know how a lot you’ll make on a job till you’ve already accomplished it.
7. Allegis
Allegis makes a speciality of all types of industries, together with insurance coverage and authorized transcription (so this firm can be match in the event you resolve to take the authorized model of the Transcribe Wherever course, the place I did my coaching).
The corporate typically posts openings for novices with no transcription expertise. You simply should control their job postings.
Charges are proportional to the consumer contract, so Allegis doesn’t present pay charges on its website. Plus, the quantity you earn for transcription jobs relies on how briskly (and precisely) you may full the task.
Nevertheless, Glassdoor studies that hourly pay ranges from $2 to $36 for transcribing jobs, whereas one Reddit consumer says you may count on to make $15 to $20 per hour in the event you kind 100 or extra phrases per minute.
It’s difficult to match a per-hour or per-page fee with a per-audio-minute fee, however typically you will have extra incomes energy as a authorized transcriptionist than a basic transcriptionist as a result of it’s a specialised discipline. Authorized transcription jobs are usually formatted very exactly, with particular margins, a set variety of strains per web page, and a particular variety of characters per line, so every web page is similar quantity of typing.
I haven’t labored with Allegis personally, however transcriptionist pals of mine say it requires a weekly quota from transcriptionists, so that you don’t have fairly the identical diploma of flexibility. It additionally has intervals of time with much less work accessible, so it’s not all the time constant.
8. Deposition Companies, Inc.
That is another choice for locating authorized transcription jobs. Deposition Companies, Inc. supplies a two-week on-line coaching program for its authorized transcription work. It makes a speciality of transcribing depositions, hearings, conferences, and seminars.
It pays a per-page fee, however it doesn’t specify publicly what that fee is, solely that it equals out to about $15 to $20 per hour.
9. Audio Transcription Heart
The Audio Transcription Heart has a higher pay fee than lots of the beforehand listed firms for its freelance transcription jobs: $1 per audio minute.
Its transcription take a look at is difficult, and also you’ll doubtless want an honest quantity of expertise — particularly with focus teams involving a number of audio system — to go it.
A lot of its work focuses on oral historical past interviews and focus teams. It has a web based software and requires a resume and canopy letter as effectively. It additionally requires a screenshot of a typing take a look at exhibiting a efficiency of 75 phrases per minute or extra with not less than 98% accuracy.
10. TranscriptionServices.com
One other firm that studies its all the time hiring distant transcriptionists is TranscriptionServices.com.
It requires that you simply go a 10-minute take a look at with the intention to be a part of the crew, and it mentions that it contains fairly difficult audio. Based mostly on the problem of its take a look at, this firm sounds greatest suited to those that have already got some expertise with on-line transcription jobs underneath their belts.
Transcriptionists who work with this firm have full flexibility to set their very own schedule with no manufacturing commitments. Although the present pay fee is unclear, the website says it pays competitively for transcription work. Nevertheless, it used to start out at $25 per audio hour for very clear audio as much as $50 per audio hour for probably the most difficult audio.
One noteworthy reality about this firm is what it calls its social mission: “For each order, we offer a month’s value of listening to help batteries to a recipient in a creating nation.”
11. GMR Transcripts
GMR Transcription works with universities, authorities and medical establishments, non-profit organizations and extra, so you may count on authorized, tutorial and medical on-line transcription jobs in the event you work with this firm.
Though it doesn’t checklist pay charges on its website, the corporate says, “Our transcriptionists/translators usually earn between $1,000 to $3,000 per 30 days, relying on their expertise and the type of work they take.”
In the event you’re prepared to tackle harder assignments or full assignments with fast turnaround instances, you’re prone to earn way more. Plus, though no expertise is required for this transcription job, the extra you will have, the higher.
To use, submit a resume and take a brief transcription take a look at. Like many others on our checklist, GMR Transcripts permits you to work while you need and as typically as you need. And all you have to begin is a pc with high-speed web, Microsoft Workplace, a foot pedal and over-the-ear headphones.
12. Scribie
Scribie affords basic transcription jobs you are able to do from dwelling, offering freelancers brief audio clips of 10-minutes or much less that you simply get to decide on your self — which means you’re not obligated to work on any task you’re not occupied with.
Earlier than you apply and take its certification take a look at, you may follow with tons of its follow assessments to make sure your expertise are as much as par. As a result of past typist, the corporate all the time desires transcribers who can right handbook and automatic transcripts.
As soon as employed, transcription jobs with this firm pay $5 to $25 per audio hour. Reasonably than obtain a weekly or month-to-month payout, your earnings accrue every day in your Scribie account, and you may switch them to your linked PayPal account at anytime.
A bonus: Right here’s methods to get the very best transcription jobs
I’ve shared a lot of firms which can be strong choices while you’re simply getting began as a transcriptionist. However I’ve had probably the most success — and positively made the very best cash — discovering my very own shoppers to work for.
This could embrace so many various folks and professions: pastors, public audio system, podcasters, legal professionals, docs, writers, journalists, analysis firms.
Marketing your self and on the lookout for shoppers is a time-consuming course of, however as soon as you discover the best ones, your incomes potential is far higher working for your self fairly than as a subcontractor for another person.
For instance, Rev prices their shoppers $1 per minute for transcription, they usually pay their subcontractors about half of these earnings. When you’ve got your personal shoppers and cost them the identical fee, you’d hold that complete $1/minute to your self.
After I calculate my hourly fee for transcription jobs, I usually make between $30 to 45 per hour. It’s a broad vary as a result of some audios take for much longer to do than others, relying on the content material and the standard. I’ve elevated my hourly fee by having high requirements about the kind of audio materials I settle for and utilizing methods to extend my velocity, similar to having a mess of autocorrects.
Simply remember the fact that while you work for your self, you’re chargeable for all the go-between together with your shoppers and all the enterprise administration elements of the job, whereas as a subcontractor, all you actually should deal with is the precise transcription work.
A number of locations to search for your personal shoppers embrace LinkedIn, Fb teams, and even Craigslist — I discovered my best possible consumer there, in addition to many smaller one-off jobs. You would possibly need to share details about your providers by yourself website as effectively, like I do for my firm, Q Transcription.
A last notice of encouragement
As you begin out, keep in mind it’s OK to start out small.
I started as a subcontractor for a few large transcription firms, and initially, I used to be thrilled to make round $200 a month. As I obtained quicker and extra skillful doing transcription jobs from dwelling, I used to be in a position to earn extra.
After a number of months, I knew my skills had been value extra, and I began on the lookout for shoppers of my very own so I may cost a higher fee.
I at present have 4 shoppers who hold me extraordinarily busy, and I not work for any of the businesses I began out with. I’m in a position to make earnings every month whereas staying dwelling with my youngsters, which is strictly why I obtained into transcription within the first place.
If this sounds completely overwhelming, the Transcribe Wherever course, the place I did my coaching, features a module on advertising and constructing what you are promoting.
Professional tip: Begin with its free transcription mini-course to see if this trade is an efficient match for you.
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