How do employers and clients select a transcriptionist?
What are they looking for in a transcriptionist?
Your prospective clients can choose from many transcriptionists. What are transcription companies and clients looking for when they're shopping for transcription services? What do they want to know about you and your services?
Knowing what your clients are looking for will help you provide them with the information they want, help you stand out from other transcriptionists, and portray your professionalism.
Here are some criteria employers are looking for when hiring a transcriptionist:
Cost
Prospective clients will look at the cost but it's not the only thing they're looking at. Clients want accurate transcripts, professionalism, and reliability. They know that transcriptionists who offer cheap rates are often beginners with little experience. A cheap price may cost more if a client has to waste time correcting inaccurate transcripts or pay someone else to redo the work. Clients like rates that are based on the length of the audio file because they'll know exactly what they'll pay.
English skills
To transcribe English audio files, the transcriptionist must be familiar with different accents, slang words and expressions in the US and other English-speaking countries (if they're getting transcripts from people from those countries).
Mention if English is the native language of your transcriptionists or if they're in a different country with a different native language. Some clients may accept foreign transcribers if getting lower rates.
Your experience and your transcribers' experience
Your potential clients want to know what your experience is and that of the people who are working for you.
They want to know that your transcribers have excellent language and grammar skills, are familiar with different accents and dialects, and will provide 99% accurate transcripts.
Mention how long you've been in business, your transcription experience, specialties, industries you're familiar with and the experience of your transcribers. If you're new to transcription, mention any relevant experience, including English skills, typing speed, computer skills, research skills, administrative experience, and organization skills. Having specialized transcription training in transcription is a big plus.
Reliability, turnaround time, and ability to manage large projects
Delivering transcripts on time is important. Are you reliable? Are you meeting deadlines? What is your turnaround time? What is your workflow? Can you manage large projects and deliver quality transcripts within the deadline?
If you're working alone, you'll be limited in how much work you can do and how fast you can deliver the work. When taking on large projects with short turnaround times, clients want to be sure that you have enough qualified transcribers available to meet the deadline without compromising quality.
Testimonials, references, and feedback from previous clients will prove your reliability even if it's in another field.
Proofreading, editing, and quality control
Mention your editing and quality control systems. Do you listen to the complete recording a second time after the transcript has been completed? Do you proofread the transcript after completion to find typos, inconsistencies, and anything that doesn't make sense in the context? Is proofreading done by someone other than the original transcriber or another person? When a different person other than the original transcriber proofreads, they may pick up some make additional corrections, and fill in missing, unclear words and inaudibles the original transcriber wouldn't have found.
Research skills
A transcriptionist must check the spelling of names, places, and words they're not familiar with. You can conduct Google searches and check reliable websites, use reference books, and use Word's built-in dictionary and thesaurus.
Confidentiality
Maintaining confidentiality is important. Recordings may contain sensitive information. Transcription companies and transcriptionists must protect the information when working with the transcript and transferring files.
Have a confidentiality statement, be willing to sign non-disclosure agreements, and have your independent contractors sign a confidentiality agreement. Provide a secure file transfer system.
Show your professionalism in all communications with potential clients to ensure clients that they will receive quality transcripts.
What information to provide on your website and promotional materials:
- There are pros and cons of providing pricing on your website. Make sure it's easy for people to ask a cost estimate.
- References and testimonials. Request testimonials from clients and put the testimonials on your website. If you're new, bid on transcription jobs on freelance sites to get feedback from employers and build your reputation.
- Mention the type of transcripts you are specializing in (e.g. general, medical, legal transcription) and the types of clients and industries you are serving.
- Indicate your experience, your transcribers' experience, how many transcriptionists you have available, what kind/size of projects you can handle, and what your turnaround time is.
- Mention your editing and quality control systems.
- Mention your work hours or flexible hours and availability for urgent evening or weekend transcripts.
- Provide a confidentiality statement and mention that you are willing to sign non-disclosure agreements.
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TRANSCRIPTION RESOURCES
- FREE General Transcription Mini-Course.
- Detailed, multi-media General Transcription Course.
- General Transcription Practice Files.
- FREE Legal Transcription Mini-Course.
- Medical Transcription Course.
- Check out this complete transcription starter kit at Amazon.
- Grammarly is the best online spelling and grammar checker to help you edit your transcripts. Grammarly has a free version and a premium version. Check it out here.
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