Is a Career in Transcription Right for You?
Welcome to the Transcribe Anywhere Workshop, where I'm going to tell you everything you need to know to decide if transcription is the right choice for you.
Hi, I'm Janet Shaughnessy. I'm the creator of Transcribe Anywhere and the owner of Zoom Transcription Services. First question: Why did you join this workshop today? Let me just mention I'm going to try to get through this quickly because I want to be respectful of your time. We'll go through it, and I'll speak as quickly as I can and be happy to answer any questions that you have later.
Why did you join? Perhaps you're struggling with your finances and need an extra income source that will allow you to remain at your current job but still make enough money to live more comfortably. Or maybe your current job is taking up all of your time, yet it's not financially rewarding, so you're looking for a high-value skill to learn that will take things to the next level for you? Or perhaps you just want to be in control of your time and work and work when and where you want.
Do you want to travel more? Maybe you want to be able to work from anywhere like I do and have the freedom to travel anywhere at any time during the year. You'll be a digital nomad. Or do you hate your current job, but fear of the unknown won't let you leave? You don't want to quit with no assurance of where your next income will come from. Or perhaps you've become a displaced worker—all too often, right, in this economy—and you need an income.
You know that remote work is becoming more and more popular, but what skills do you currently have that will help you to do that? Perhaps you want to spend more time with your family and stop missing your kids' school and extracurricular events. Or maybe you're at or near retirement age, but you're not ready to sit around the house all day—65 is the new 45. Or perhaps you need to supplement your retirement income.
What is your why? Maybe you've heard about transcribing, or perhaps you're even signed up for transcription training, but you didn't get value for your money. You still have a lot of questions and don't know how to get started with how to actually get work.
At this point, or perhaps you have already been thinking about it, can I or should I become a transcriptionist? Let me say right here, I don't believe that anyone can become a transcriptionist. It's not for everyone. But you should seriously consider it if you're ready to put in the work to master the skill, you have the mindset of an achiever, you don't quit at the first sign of obstacles, and you love working behind a computer.
Now transcription is not for you if you think this is an easy gig, and you think you can put in the minimum effort and make money. Not true. Being a successful transcriber requires that you meet deadlines, have good typing skills, understand grammar and punctuation, and can use transcription and word-processing software. Of course, you may be thinking, well, I don't have all of those skills right now. That's what the training is for.
What will you learn from this workshop? You'll learn what is transcription, the different types of transcriptionists, the skills that you need, the tools and software that are required, the income range, and the flat-out truth about becoming a transcriptionist.
Let me just give you a little background about me. I will make this very short because I hate when people go on and on with their own story, but just to let you know, I have over 40 years of experience in professional transcription services. I started working from home, though, as a transcriptionist in 2006. I started my company, Zoom Transcription Services. Then, in 2016, Transcribe Anywhere was born. I took my years of experience online, and now I teach others to do what I've been so fortunate to do.
Let me tell you that I did it at the worst possible time in my life. My husband became disabled, so that made me the sole breadwinner and his caretaker. I had to file for bankruptcy—yep, I did. I eventually had to quit my job, and, frankly, we were completely broke. I know, when I hear from many of you, that so are you right now. Don't let that stop you. I didn't let it stop me, and it doesn't have to stop you. But, anyway, I didn't just need a job. I needed a stay-at-home job that would provide for my family and still give me the time to care for my husband. He was going to a lot of doctors and hospitals and all kinds of stuff at that time. I was able to grow my transcription skills into a six-figure-per-year business.
When I started, I started with typewriters and White-Out. That was in 2006. I started Transcribe Anywhere in 2016, and I told you all the things that happened to me. Yeah, if I could do it, believe me, you can do it too. But, anyway, if we fast-forward to today, this was taken last year on our boat in Florida. I can travel around the world whenever I want because all I need to do is bring my laptop with me. I can be there for my husband and my family. I'm completely debt free, and I get to work and earn just from my laptop. So far, I have successfully trained thousands of transcriptionists in a little more than six years. For these people, debts have been paid off, mortgages have been cleared, incomes have been generated, families have been financially restored, and toxic jobs have been quit.
What exactly is transcription? Transcription is the art of turning audio and video files into text documents. Although all transcription is a verbatim record of what was spoken, there are two different styles of transcription, what we call strict verbatim and standard verbatim. In strict verbatim, we type everything exactly as it's spoken, including all the uhs, ums, the stutters, filler words, false starts would go. None of us speak in grammatically correct sentences. We might say something like, "I, uh, think that, you know, I don't understand these instructions." Then in standard verbatim, we get to clean up what was spoken and take out all of the uhs, ums, and filler words and all of that. Instead of this first sentence here, we would simply type, "I think that I don't understand these instructions." Do you see the difference? Those are the two different styles of transcription. Most legal transcription does require using the strict verbatim, some others, and not all of that. We get into all of that in the course, and for everything else—interviews, podcasts, features, lectures, et cetera, all of that—the standard verbatim style allows us to clean up the audio so that it reads well. Those are the two different styles.
Who uses transcriptionists? Okay. It's going to maybe be hard to read on your screen and, believe me, this is only a partial list off the top of my head of all the different types of people—professionals, including legal practitioners, authors, coaches, YouTube narrators, podcasters, and many more who employ transcriptionists. These professionals are too busy for these tasks, or they simply don't have the skills to get them done. Anyone that needs to transcribe their audio or video files into written notes and reports that can be used for SEO—that's search engine optimization—future referencing, repurposing, safekeeping, it just simply means that transcriptionists will always be in demand.
I want to put a disclaimer right here. I no longer provide medical transcription services or training, and I don't recommend it as a great career choice. The need for qualified medical transcribers, along with the pay, has decreased with the adoption of the electronic medical record and, to a lesser degree, outsourcing to countries with very low pay rates.
Why this skill? If you're still wondering if you should consider becoming a transcriptionist, here are some signs that might help you decide. One, you love typing. If you enjoy typing, it might be a strong indication that you might be a great transcriptionist. To become a successful transcriptionist, you must have decent typing skills. A typing speed of 60 to 70 words per minute is a good place to start, but if you're not there yet, that's okay. We have drills to help you with speed and accuracy. You have an excellent command of the English language. If you appreciate great writing, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, then you would most likely succeed as a transcriptionist. Again, we focus very heavily on all of that in our courses because that is the most challenging aspect of our training.
You spot mistakes and errors easily. If you don't now, you will after the course. I can guarantee it. It's actually hard for us to read a book without wondering who edited it because there are so many errors. Anyway, transcriptionists are often referred to as word nerds. That means that if you can easily spot errors and mistakes in writing that other people won't, you'll be great in this industry.
You love to research random things on the Internet. Boy, I have gone down some rabbit holes. I feel like I know a little bit about a lot of things. But, anyway, we as transcribers, we often have to research on names, places, terms, and lots of other information to confirm that what we've transcribed is accurate. Like I said, I've learned so many things just from my research alone as a transcriptionist. If you're a closet Google fanatic like I am, you'll find this part of the job quite fun and engaging.
You're an excellent listener. To succeed as a transcriptionist, you have to listen attentively. I call it focused listening. Transcribing requires listening to audio or video and accurately understanding the conversations despite challenges like there might be background noise, soft, or loud voices, fillers, things like that.
Maybe you're an introvert, and transcription is seriously the dream job for any introvert looking to make a solid income from home without having to mingle with other people. You really only talk with people through e-mail, and so no social awkwardness is required.
You enjoy sitting behind the computer. While transcribing gives you the freedom to work from home or anywhere you want, it requires that you sit behind a screen typing away. Frequent breaks are a necessity. If you don't enjoy working alone, becoming a professional transcriptionist might not be the best option for you.
What are the types of transcriptionists? There are two types of transcriptionists. Technically, there are three if you include medical, but I already told you why you shouldn't waste your time in that specialty. We have general transcription, so this is the conversion of all kinds of audio and video files from different industries such as academia, business, finance, Youtubers, podcasters. I showed you the long and only partial list of people who use transcriptionists. We convert lectures, conferences, workshop interviews, speeches, webinars, et cetera into a text document.
Now, legal transcription is a specialized form of transcription. It involves converting legal recordings such as court proceedings, search warrants, law enforcement, depositions, et cetera into text documents.
What are the tools and software that are required to become a transcriptionist? You have to have access to a computer—laptop or a PC is fine—access to the Internet, transcription software, a headset, a foot pedal—which is technically optional, but most of us prefer using it—and word processing software, most preferably Microsoft Word.
What are the benefits of becoming a transcriptionist? There are some key benefits. First of all, and I think for all of us, is a flexible schedule. You'll have the ability to work from home or pretty much anywhere. It provides an extra source of income or your sole source of income. It's perfect for stay-at-home parents and those with families. There's a very low barrier to entry. You work according to your own schedule instead of running your life around your work schedule, and you have the ability to independently build a successful business or just work it as a side gig. Either way is fine.
Here's a screen, and I know you probably can't read everything, and I have tons more, but these are just some testimonials from our graduates. Students that have gone through my training programs are proof of how becoming a transcriptionist can absolutely change your life forever.
How much can I make as a transcriptionist? Contrary to what most people preach on the Internet, the transcription industry is not a get-rich-quick scheme, nor is it an easy way to become a millionaire or earn quick cash. Especially if you want to be successful in the industry, you need to put in the work, and you need to be patient enough to grow. According to Zip Recruiter, the average United-States-based, work-from-home transcriptionist earns an average annual salary of $58,441. Some earn more, some less. It's up to you how much you want to earn and how much you want to work. Using that figure, in terms of an hourly rate, that falls at around $28 earned for every hour worked.
Can I become a transcriptionist, too? Well, let's dive into that. You might be considering becoming a transcriptionist, but you have questions, and you should, and one of them is "I don't have a great typing speed." Well, typing is just practice and muscle memory, and we have plenty of that for you. "Will I be able to get a transcription job?" You bet you will. The demand far outweighs the supply of qualified transcriptionists, and we help you with all of that? "I don't have a good command of English grammar and punctuation." As I mentioned, I think before, this is absolutely the most challenging aspect of our training for most of our students. The mechanics of transcription are not difficult to master, but what sets the professional apart from the wannabes is mastery of these skills. "Will people pay me for this service?" Well, of course they will. We don't work for free. "Is there a demand for transcription?" More than ever. With the proliferation of video and audio, our services are more in demand than ever before. "How soon can I start making money?" For most, as soon as you complete the training. "I'm scared that I won't be able to succeed at this." Well, that's normal. Fear is often described as false expectations appearing real. Did you know that fear and excitement feel exactly the same in the human body? So choose excitement. "Do I need to become certified to become a transcriptionist?" Well, currently there's no national accreditation for general transcriptionists. That means that anyone can become a transcriptionist as long as they have the required skills. There is no barrier to entry, and we do supply you with a Certificate of Completion upon passing our final exam, and our graduates are very highly sought after.
Then, on top of that, our legal transcription training program is approved by the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers, otherwise known as AAERT, and they're the organization that offers the Certified Electronic Transcriber examination and certification. Our course also prepares you to go for that additional certification that you can use to prove your expertise if you choose to do that.
Where can I sell my transcription services? Well, just know that your training doesn't end once you complete the course. You become a lifetime member, and you receive lifetime support. We also teach you how to find your own clients and build your own successful transcription business or just work as an independent contractor for a larger transcription company. Some prefer to work full-time and build their own businesses, and some prefer to work part-time as a freelancer. Either way, we're here to help you reach your goal.
Let's talk about some misconceptions about what it takes to become a transcriptionist. There are a lot of them. "You must have exceptional technology skills." Nope. You don't need an advanced degree or be a tech wizard to provide transcription services from home. Just don't worry about the things that you don't need to know and focus on what you do need to know and get really good at that.
Well, let me go back. "Transcriptionists aren't paid very well." Well, that's not true, and we're going to get to that in an upcoming slide. "I'm not intelligent enough." What? Of course you are. If you're really not or you think you're not, then I suggest you go back and think a little more about that. "I'm too old to learn this skill." That's ridiculous. We have just as many older folks as younger folks working as transcriptionists, and I happen to be one of them. "It's too expensive. The training is too expensive." Well, the real question is what's too expensive? A college degree that gets you an entry-level job, if you're lucky, and puts you into debt for thousands of dollars or an online course that costs way less, takes much less time to complete, and build solid skills? Always remember that skills equal money. If you have skills that others don't have, you'll always be able to earn. Right? A plumber is always going to be able to earn. "There's no demand for transcription." The exact opposite is true. The rise in video popularity has only increased the need for qualified transcriptionists. Anyone who's doing anything online, whether they're marketing, training, interviewing, they need written texts to accompany their video presentations. "It's only for women." Nope, not true. I know you couldn't read it well, but you can look at our blog and hear from some of our male transcribers. That's just not true. "I don't have enough time for this. I'm too busy." Well, you know what? If you seriously believe that you're too busy already, then maybe transcription isn't for you. Someone once said if nothing changes, then nothing changes, so it's your choice. You can stay where you are and complain about the lack of free time and the demands put upon you by your work and family life, or you can do something about it and get off the hamster wheel. It'll take time and effort, but the payoff is huge. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you're stuck and that the "good life" is only for other people. You're only stuck if you think you're stuck, so look outside your comfort zone. There's a world of opportunity out there.
Let's introduce the programs. We have two. We offer General Transcription Theory and Practice and Legal Transcription Theory and Practice. What is general transcription? General transcription includes everything you need to know to go from a total newbie to becoming an excellent and professional transcriptionist, especially one that gets hired. Here are some of the highlights that you get from the program: transcription equipment and where to get the best deal, text expanders and shortcut keys, transcription style guides, time-coding instruction, how to establish and calculate your rates, plenty of downloadable templates, a step-by-step guide to finding work, client contracts. Tons of practice. There are seven levels with, I think, over 60 audio and video files with the answer keys plus our support when you have questions.
Lifetime membership, and that includes all the stuff that we add later, and lifetime access to our student and grad support communities. How to set up a transcription website, and we give you a theme and instructions on how to do that. In one of our courses, the Fast Track program, we actually do all that for you. We build you a website. You get a free listing on our site at hireatranscriptionist.com. That is used to find work. Many, many people go there to post jobs, and you can find work there, so you get a free listing there. How to find higher paying work as an independent contractor and how to build and market your transcription business.
Moving on to legal, the Legal Transcription course is a truly all-inclusive online education system for legal transcriptionists. I mentioned AAERT before, and we were the first school ever approved by them, so you know that you're getting a full education. It's the most complete, all-inclusive multimedia course available for legal transcription.
Why would you take the Legal Transcription course? Legal transcriptionists are in high demand. In fact, there's a shortage. Attorneys, court reporters, insurance companies, law enforcement, research institutions, and many others need legal transcriptionists to help them with the documentation that's required to fulfill their obligations on a daily basis. This work can't be done by just anyone. Only trained legal transcriptionists with advanced study in the legal field can accomplish these tasks. You'll learn from the experts with dynamic video content, plenty of practice tutorials, marketing, and a support community to guide you every step of the way.
What is included in the Legal Transcription program? It includes everything you need. You won't just learn about legal transcription. You'll become an excellent transcriptionist, one that actually gets hired, and here's what you'll get. There's 14 full-length training modules. Some of this will be the same as in general, like where to get equipment. It's the same equipment. Typing drills, how to use text expanders and shortcut keys to speed up your transcribing time, a legal transcription style guide plus plenty of downloadable templates and legal forms and documents, over 100 pages of legal terminology. Don't get scared. You don't have to memorize it, but you'll have it as a resource. Tutorials on the software and Word and how to use it. Abbreviations, capitalization, and punctuation for the legal transcriptionist. There are precise ways that they do all of these things. The definitions and descriptions of the different types of law and the legal process. There are 10 levels of practice dictations with the answer keys, of course, and 24/7 access to all of our course material and any future updates, access to our student and grad support groups, personal and group support, and a Certificate of Completion upon graduation. You do get a Certificate with the General Transcription course too. I'm not sure I mentioned that.
You'll learn how to find higher paying work as an independent contractor, how to build and market your business, how to set up a transcription website. We talked about that. Or have it completely done for you. With any of our courses you get our 100% thorough guarantee. We're confident that you'll have everything you need to succeed.
Final thoughts, let's wrap it up. Well, anyone can learn to transcribe. Transcription isn't for everyone, because not everyone is ready to put in the work. It takes commitment to study and practice. Through transcription, though, you can build a successful work-at-home career, just like I did and our graduates do. However, you need training. This is why I created my courses, General Transcription Theory and Practice and Legal Transcription Theory and Practice, specifically for you.
All right. Now, listen, I realize that the economy is a mess, and you may be struggling. Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. I get it. If you stay stuck in that mindset, what will change? Skills equal income. I have to really stress that. If you have in-demand skills that others don't have, you're always going to be able to earn. Let us help you get unstuck. You simply can't wish yourself out of your problems. It's time to find a way to work from home so you can get out of your financial troubles and take a step towards personal and financial freedom. Are you ready to take action? If you are, click the link below to learn more. We have a special offer only available to folks who watch this workshop. I hope to hear from you soon.
