How To Become A Transcriptionist — Certifications, Skills, And Steps You Need To Start Your Transcription Business From Home
Shailesh Shakya
Founder | Professional Blogger | Helped 500+ Job Seekers With Resume Writing & Optimization | Social Media Content Strategist | Social Media Growth Hacker
Transcriptionists transcribe audio or video recordings into written text. Companies hire them to listen to phone calls, interviews, lectures, etc. and type out the spoken words. This job has become increasingly important because of the rise of podcasts and streaming services such as Netflix.
Transcribers earn anywhere from $10-$25 per hour, depending on their experience level. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment opportunities for transcriptionists will increase by 22% between 2016 and 2026.
While most people assume that transcription is all about listening to audio files and typing them up, there’s more to it than that. A transcriptionist must also have excellent communication skills since they need to explain what they hear to someone else who may not know what was said.
However, you don’t need a college degree to start working as a transcriptionist, and all you need is a high school diploma and basic typing skills. If you want to get started, you can take free courses through Coursera. Or, you can enroll in a paid training program at a local community college.
Well, in this post, I’m going to walk you through a step-by-step process to becoming a transcriptionist. You’ll learn how to find work, what it takes to land your first gig, and how to advance your career.
So let’s start with a basic definition of transcription.
What is Transcription?
The term “transcription” refers to recording sound and converting it into written form, and it’s similar to taking notes during a lecture or interview.
A transcriptionist listens to an audio/video file and types up the spoken words in most cases.
But there are many different kinds of transcription jobs. Some people transcribe radio shows, while others transcribe medical records.
Here are some other examples:
- A transcriptionist might transcribe a meeting or a court proceeding.
- A legal assistant might transcribe depositions or medical reports.
- A reporter might transcribe an interview or a press conference.
- An editor might edit transcripts before publishing them online.
- A teacher might transcribe student assignments.
- A writer might transcribe audiobooks.
- A lawyer might transcribe witness testimony.
- A journalist might transcribe news conferences or a debate.
Transcription Equipment
Now, let’s talk about the equipment you’ll need to do transcription. This list includes all of the tools you’ll need to begin transcribing audio files.
Types Of Transcriptionist
General Transcription -
It is the most common kind of transcriptionist. Here you need to transcribe general business documents, including letters, memos, emails, contracts, resumes, and more.
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You can start as a general transcriptionist without any specialized training.
Medical Transcription
Medical Transcriptionist transcribes dictation from the physicians. Dictation may include patient/client histories, diagnoses, medical treatments, test results analysis, medications, prognoses, and discharge summaries.
Medical Transcriptionists must be familiar with medical terminology, acronyms, abbreviations, and codes used in medicine. They must also be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Most medical transcriptionists have a bachelor’s degree in medical science. Some medical transcriptionists also have additional education in medicine or nursing.
Some medical transcriptionists specialize in certain areas, such as radiology, pathology, or oncology.
Legal Transcription
Legal transcription involves transcribing legal proceedings such as depositions, trials, hearings, and interviews.
Legal transcriptionists must be familiar with courtroom procedures and rules of evidence. They often have law degrees.
Many legal transcriptionists work for large firms that represent clients in civil lawsuits. Others work for small businesses or individuals who need help with their injury claims.
Legal transcriptionists typically earn $40-$60 per hour. But they can make much more money if a firm representing a big client hires you.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for legal transcriptionists will grow 27 percent from 2012 to 2022.
Broadcast Transcription
Broadcast transcription involves transcribing radio programs, television broadcasts, podcasts, and live events like concerts, lectures, and debates.
Broadcast transcriptionists usually work at stations to listen to radio shows and record them.
They type up the recorded material and send it to producers to create new episodes.
Broadcast transcription requires good listening skills and strong typing skills. It’s essential to know how to read music notation.
Verbatim Transcription
Verbatim transcriptionists must accurately capture every word spoken in audio files.
They must be able to take down everything said during an interview or meeting, no matter what the subject is. Verbatim transcriptionists may sometimes be asked to write articles based on what they’ve heard.
From a simple pause to laughter, clearing throats, and other noises, verbatim transcriptionists must pay close attention to all the sounds made during a conversation.
Verbatim transcription is used in many fields, especially journalism.
It’s one of the most challenging jobs you can do because you can consider many things when taking notes.
It’s not uncommon for verbatim transcriptionists to spend hours trying to get a single sentence right.
It is tough to do a perfect verbatim transcription because many variables are involved. The quality of the microphone used, background noise, volume level, speakers accent, etc., all affect the accuracy of the final document.