Good news, online transcription positions don’t have to be purely medical. There are many different types of transcription services available, the key is finding the one that captures and keeps your interest. Transcription services can involve E-Books, Tele-seminars, Business Meetings, Webinars, Radio Talk Shows, Talk Show Interviews, Focus Groups, Meetings, Home Study Courses and various business based correspondences. And clients will range from Authors, Seminar Speakers, Talk Show Hosts, Coaches and Business or Marketing Managers.

Equipment is one of the most important factors when considering a home based career in transcription services. It is best to do some research on the equipment that a professional transcription service would use. It could be as easy as purchasing transcription software, a head-set and a foot-pedal, but some companies may require you to have more elaborate equipment. Depending on the type of transcription they specialize in, a company may require you to have a secure internet connection and firewall for file transfer activities.

As different types of transcription, such as interview transcription, may have more than one speaker, it will take a high level of concentration to provide a professional output. For example, a radio talk show will be formatted differently than an e-book. Files that have more than one speaker may require more attention to formatting detail. Be sure to check with your client before starting to transcribe the files, and be clear on all expectations, it will save you a lot of time. In terms of file output formatting, make sure the word processor or transcription software you use has the proper output formats. Most basic word processors have file conversion capabilities such as RTF, HTML and Plain Text, so this is not a major issue.

Unlike medical transcription, which has a clear knowledgebase, general audio transcription will cover a wider area of topics. You may not be familiar with the topic and technologies you may be covering, causing a multitude of misinterpretations that at times, may be very difficult to catch. Be sure to set aside some time to perform proofreading to find misused or misspelled words. Errors in brand names, buzz words and other concepts can be harder to detect. As a basic spell checker can be invaluable, it is not necessarily error proof, therefore the human element is very important.

In terms of turnaround time, this element is based entirely on your typing skills and the deadline that has been defined by your client. Some projects can be finished in a day, while others may take 3-5 to complete. It will certainly depend on what you need to do, your time frame, the content topic, and how important precision and quality are to your client. Be sure to determine whether your client wants precision, or faster and more immediately presentable results.

posted by Chris Simpson