Transcription is often an option of choice for the first earnings since it requires mostly typing skills only. This article observes all the necessary skills and equipment for a successful transcription job.
The profession of transcriber: simple or not?
The profession of a transcriptionist seems to be easy as a pie: nothing is complicated in typing the heard speech. It is without knowing the nuances of the transcription job. This job is demanding and requires sets of specific skills, equipment, and knowledge. This article discloses all the hidden reefs of this profession and provides suggestions upon becoming a superior and rewarded transcriber.
What does the profession of transcriber suppose?
In Internet marketing and social media, online transcribers are in high demand. Many customers from all fields of business require human transcription services to transform into text webinars, conference calls, teleseminars, podcasts, and other sorts of digital content. These all refer to general transcription, which is a good start for an amateur without a weighty experience in transcription.
More experienced specialists may desire to dive into the narrow-specific terminology and transcribe the video and audio records on medicine, legality, industry, etc. This work demands advanced skills and sometimes requires a certificate that proves the transcriber’s professional capacity.
The primary advantage of transcribing is a broad number of tasks which means that a professional will always have a stable flow of orders. Transcription of workbooks, eBooks, blog posts, reviews, interviews, articles is the scope of the giveaway and paid products.
The primary thing for a transcriber is estimating the level of preparation adequately in this type of activity. Taking the tasks which an employee can handle is essential. There is nothing wrong with starting from general transcription, polishing it to the ideal state, and developing the skills in specialized fields of science later.
Basic skills of a transcriber
An excellent transcriptionist must possess the following features to perform a successful project and match the deadlines:
- Fast and accurate typing skills. Slow work performance steals plenty of time and leads to endless corrections as a result. Such a style of work makes this job annoying, exhausting and even failing.
- Excellent hearing skills. A transcriptionist must hear and understand what a speaker says in the record. It is not always easy due to aside noises and not the best quality of the source. The absolute focusing on the sound is a must.
- Research abilities. Sometimes the facts, names, or other information said in the source file is unfamiliar to a transcriber. Then an employee must do the necessary research and checking-ups to clarify this information and write it in the text transcriptions correctly.
- The self-control of accuracy. The transcription job does not stand any rush. It will significantly save time on the proofreading stage. Pure spelling and grammar skills are crucial for each transcriber.
- Multi-formatting skills of work. A transcriber must be convinced of the format in which a customer wants to receive the outcome file. Changing it for the overall file at the end may be tedious and spoil the overall quality.
- Comfortable and quiet environment. Either you prefer sitting behind the desk or working on a training ball, that place should be comfortable and motivate you to work.
- Price in 1-hour rate of the source file. Even experienced transcribers spend about 3-4 hours transcribing 1 hour of the source. Hence, count it in advance. Raising the price at the end of the work reasoning by spending additional hours is inappropriate and unprofessional.
Examine the quality of work before announcing the price. Test it on different parts of the file. If the quality of the audio is low, ask for a better one or revise the price.
Transcription should bring you enjoyment. Otherwise, you won’t be able to stand it for a long time. It is natural to feel tired, but you should return to work later in a refreshed state and perform excellent results, developing your skills and speed practice. The precise attention to detail is highly rewardable from the clients and helpful in creating a good reputation.
The vital technical equipment for successful transcription
Those who possess all the necessary skills mentioned above should prepare the tools which will help to perform the successful work:
- An automated transcription software. Beginners can download the free versions from the Internet. Professional programs cost about 50-100 USD but not all of them support all operating systems. Ideal transcription software runs various audio and video formats and time settings.
- The decent quality headset. Amateurs may choose an average one. Preferably it should come with the standard mini-jack. The sound in USB headphones with a sound card is worse.
- Foot pedal. Professional transcribers use an alternative to turning on and off the sound via buttons. The foot pedal aims to play, stop, fast-forward, or backwind a record by foot. That is not an essential investment since many programs offer hot buttons combinations for these functions. However, some programs suppose a foot pedal usage, but not all are compatible with all transcription software.
- Word processing apps. These help to produce the files in the required format, type in the document and edit it.
- Fast and stable Internet connection. Since most transcribers are freelancers, they need the Internet like an air. Deal with legitimate and credible providers only for a secure connection.
Summing Up
Any activity which allows improving your language skills is challenging. Transcription is a complex type of work that requires concentration and immediate linguistic reactions. Most experienced transcribers find it exciting for earnings and getting new knowledge daily. Handling all the skills and practicing them will make you an awesome transcriber.
Transcription is the field of work that sustains renewals regularly. Numerous automatic transcription tools appear in the market every day. However, they can not replace professional human transcribers. The motivation to learn and explore innovations in transcription will help to stand in in-demand. Learn, practice, and offer yourself in the market as a guru of transcription.
