Entry-level transcription jobs for beginners are as easy as listening and typing, and you can do them to make money from home. If you are a good listener and you can type, you can make money online with no experience. Besides, there are transcription companies that hire beginners with no experience.
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What is transcription work?
Transcription involves converting an audio or video media into a written one. You do this by listening to recorded files and typing out what is being said.
An experienced transcriber takes about four hours to type one hour of audio. This means that as a beginner, you are likely to take more time transcribing. Some beginners take as much as eight hours to transcribe one hour of audio. This should not, however, discourage you because the more you do it, the better you become.
Several things affect the speed of work and the quality of the final transcript when doing online transcription work. These include:
- The quality of the audio. Other noises in the audio besides the people talking make it difficult for the transcriber to hear what is being said by the speakers.
- The accent of the speakers. If one is transcribing an audio file whose speakers have an unfamiliar accent, then it will be difficult to transcribe it.
- The number of speakers in the audio. When an audio file has too many speakers, it’s difficult to know who is speaking at what time. The situation becomes worse if the speakers overlap over each other in their conversations.
- The speed at which the speakers are speaking. If the speakers are too fast or too slow, this can also affect the person transcribing.
- Your typing speed – if your typing speed is very low, it will take too much time for you to complete the work which will, in turn, affect your turnaround time. There are many software on the internet that you can use to improve your typing speed.
Who needs transcription services?
Many people need transcription services.
- Lecturers and students need transcripts of lectures, interviews, and discussions for later use.
- Organizations need transcripts of speeches, conferences and other organizational meetings to have the correct details of what transpired in such meetings.
- Law firms critically need to record and transcribe court hearings. This is because having the correct information is a key necessity of the profession.
- Medics require proper transcripts of their patients’ information. Without them, there is a danger of losing lives or causing permanent damage to people’s lives.
- Podcasters need transcriptions of their podcasts. This allows them to give their followers a choice of either listening to or reading their podcast episodes.
- Researchers need transcripts of their research interviews to capture everything to be useful for them later on.
These are among the many people who need transcription services. This is enough proof that the service is still very marketable should you specialize in it.
Basic requirements for online transcription work
Online transcription work is a work-from-home job you can start without breaking the bank. With just a few basic tools, you will be on your way to making your first dollars online. Below are the basic requirements.
A computer
This is where you will do all your typing work as you transcribe.
Headphones
Although you can transcribe without headphones or earphones, they make your work easier by canceling other noises. You can thus concentrate on what is being said in the audio.
Internet connection
You need a fast internet connection to allow you to receive and download the audio or video files sent by your clients. Some companies also require that you work from their platforms, meaning you have to be online while you work for them.
Transcription software
A transcription software helps you to play, stop, rewind, or move to any part of the audio as you work. Without it, your work as a transcriber will be extremely difficult. Luckily, transcription software is fairly affordable.
A comfortable chair and desk
You need to be comfortable as you work since you transcribe while seated for long periods.
Good typing skills
You need to be a good typist to make good money in transcription work. This is because your typing speed determines how much transcription work you can do. The more you practice typing, the faster you become. You can also practice using online typing assistants to increase your speed and accuracy.
Basic transcription knowledge
If you are new to transcription and do not understand where to start, taking a few hours to educate yourself may be the way to go. You can take a free mini-course offered by Transcribe Anywhere to help you sail through the choppy waters of transcription.
Please note that some companies will require you to have a foot pedal to work for them. However, I do not consider it a basic requirement, since you can still transcribe successfully without it. To be honest, I have never used one myself.
How much can you make doing entry-level transcription Jobs as a beginner?
As a beginner transcriber, your earning potential depends on your typing speed and the clients you attract. Most companies that hire for entry-level transcription jobs do not pay very well.
However, the demands of these companies are fewer. In addition, it is a great learning opportunity for beginners to learn the ropes of transcription. Once you gain some experience, you can apply to better-paying companies or pitch individual clients for work.
Some companies pay as little as $10 per audio hour, which is too little and not worth your time. As mentioned earlier, it can take you about four hours to transcribe one audio hour. This means you would only earn about $2.50 per hour of your time.
However, if your goal is to learn and gain some experience, you can work for such a company for a month or two and then move on. For more details, here are some companies that hire beginners with no experience for entry-level transcription jobs.
Many experienced transcribers would consider taking nothing less than $60 per audio hour. When you pitch clients directly, you set your rate and your earning potential becomes unlimited at that point. That should be the goal of every beginner hoping to make money online doing an entry-level transcription job.
I have personally earned over $1.5 per audio minute, which translates to over $90 per audio hour doing transcription work. If I could do it, you too can.
Tips for success in entry-level transcription jobs for beginners
Every beginner transcriber hopes to succeed, but many give up on the way for various reasons. To succeed in an entry-level transcription job, you need to know several things.
Practice makes perfect
Only patient people succeed in transcription work. Entry-level transcription can seem daunting in the beginning when you are just starting with slow speeds and poor-quality audio. I have seen many beginners take over eight hours to transcribe one hour of audio.
I also started there and almost gave up if it was not for the encouragement of others who had gone ahead of me. Believe me, it gets better and better over time as you continue practicing and refining your listening and typing skills. You can search online for transcription practice audios and use them to practice sharpening your skills as you continue looking for jobs.
Follow the instructions
Every company has a style guide on how they want their transcriptions done. You must follow them to the latter for you to succeed. The guides are simple to follow and you can have them open as you work to make things easier for you.
Improve your typing speed
The faster you are in typing, the more transcription work you can accomplish. It is therefore imperative that your typing speed is high. Some companies will even first test your typing speed before hiring you.
Take constant breaks
Taking constant breaks as you transcribe can help to break the monotony and improve your effectiveness. Some people have suggested taking a few minutes to break after every hour of work which I have implemented successfully. Find out what works for you and make sure you incorporate several breaks after working for some time.
Wrapping it up on entry-level transcription jobs
I hope I have convinced you that making money online doing entry-level transcription jobs as a beginner is possible. Many people, including myself, have done it.
Transcription is the very first work from home job that I did when I started pursuing make-money-online jobs. I had nobody to guide me on where to start, and I did all the research by myself.
I do not anyone else to go through that experience and that is why I wrote this post.
With a little patience and a lot of practice, online transcription work is a viable source of income even with no experience. Read this article for more tips on top reasons why you will not make money online.
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- Transcription jobs with no experience: Get hired today
- Top reasons why you will not make money online
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