Arriving on the Transcription Scene

You think you can type pretty fast and accurate, you have a nice computer and you are sitting around looking for an opportunity to make money at home. There are several opportunities for transcription work in many different fields and some do not require any specialized training, but there may be some useful equipment to make your job faster, easier and more reliable.

Taking jobs from outside sources can be a rewarding experience and fairly profitable if you can offer fast, reliable turn around times. To make this easier to accomplish you will probably want to have a cassette tape player with a footswitch and the software for your computer to allow rewind top and play without having to take your hands off the keyboard. Remember, you will only make money if your fingers are typing.

Software to make these all work together is also needed as is a quality set of headphones that will give you a clear rendition of the voice as well as block out all the outside noises. Software to get you started will probably cost just under $100 with the player, foot switch and headphones being about another $200, which means you can be set up and ready to go for about $300, depending on the quality of the equipment you buy and from where.

Additionally, some jobs will be sent online, usually as a wave audio file and you will work on them right from your computer instead of from a tape player. Before accepting any internet files you must be sure your computer has the programs to accept them as play them back. I high-speed broadband internet connection makes this much faster and more secure.

This does not include the price of your computer or internet connection, or any fees associated with advertising or promoting your service, although there are several resources that accept offering to perform transcription services without charge.

There is one caution, however, certain types of transcription work requires some specific training such as medical and dental, and if you are not properly trained and certified in these fields it would be in your best interest not to accept any jobs involving these. Medical transcription services require knowing not only how to type and use the equipment, but also medical language. Failure to understand the language and specialized terminology could lead to costly, as well as potentially fatal, mistakes.

There are also some personality traits needed when a person decides to enter the transcription field. Self-discipline is one of the major ones as you will be sitting at your keyboard for long lengths of time and often people have the urge to get up and do other things when they are supposed to be working. Operating any business from your home takes discipline and understanding of other family members that although you are at home, you are still working.

You must think as though your job is out of the house and dirty laundry and dishes will have to wait until you get home from work. It may take an income check or two before the entire family knows that when you are in your home office you are working, but as long as you exercise your own discipline, others will soon follow.

More Transcription Articles:

• Finding Transcription Jobs that Suit You
• Getting into the Transcription Business
• Ease Office Workload with Transcription Services
• Looking For A Job As A Transcription Technician
• Where Do Medical Transcriptionists Work?
• Work at Home Transcription Jobs