Transcription for Beginners

I realized that there were plenty of transcription jobs out there but I honestly thought that they were medical transcription, and even though I have a degree in Medical Assisting, you need a special certification for medical transcription.

While searching for ways to earn an income from home, I came across some transcription opportunities for beginners. Many of them might like for you to have some transcription experience but many do not require experience. These companies need transcription of various audio files including interviews, voice mails, focus groups, and other things. I only had a small amount of transcription experience from years ago but I thought it would be something I could do.

I came across a list of transcription companies that hire with no experience at realwaystoearnmoneyonline. They also give a brief review of each company so that you know what you are getting into.

Before you begin applying for these transcription jobs, here are a few tips. First of all, download Express Scribe (google it, it's free to download). This program works great for transcribing audio files.  You can slow the audio down and rewind with the touch of a button. It may be tricky at first but once you get used to which buttons control it, you will move pretty quickly. A few companies require a foot pedal but not all.

Another thing to keep in mind: most transcription companies want you to transcribe a short audio file for your application. If you are new to transcribing, this can become quite time consuming. Also, most of these companies have a specific way that they want their files formatted and of course, each one is different. This takes time to read through their format styles and rules. I had one company respond saying that my transcription was great but I needed to change some of the formatting and send it back. *sigh* Honestly, I think the transcription part should be the main focus when applying for a company and the formatting can be tweeked once the applicant is hired. It is all very time consuming.

I applied at probably 8 different transcription companies and got a response from 3 or 4 (many of them say that it can take up to 2 weeks). Just a heads up, this is one of the responses I got:

Notice the waiting period? Yeah, 470 days!! 

I think transcription can be a great income generator, especially after gaining a little bit of experience. One company I read pays 90 cents per word. Per word! I type 90 wpm, so add that up! The only reason I haven't gone on with the application process is that I acquired another job outside of the home beginning next week however, I am still keeping transcription in the back of my mind in case this job doesn't work out. 

Anyone have any transcription experience to tell us about??