Becoming A Freelance Transcriptionist: The Creative Bandits Guide

I have been a freelance transcriptionist for 8 years now and I have plenty of experience with both one-man bands and larger companies. 

Although I specialise in transcribing interviews, I have covered many other areas of transcription like focus groups, press conferences, seminars, meetings, and more.

When you are starting as a Freelancer Transcriptionist the most important thing is to be organized and to make sure that deadlines are met!

Do your research. The most important thing when you’re starting as a freelancer is to make sure that you know what’s involved in the process and while this might sound blindingly obvious, it’s an all too common mistake among new freelancers who fail to do their research at all! 

So before getting started on any job or project for which want to hire yourself out as an expert (or even just a competent beginner) take some time reading up about it and find all those helpful how-to articles on websites like Creative Bandits. 

And gain a bit more knowledge about what you’ll need to know to succeed here first…

Consider how much you’ll charge. As a freelancer transcriptionist, pricing isn’t always easy but you must consider the amount when determining your rate! 

If you’re doing work by hand then obviously manual labor should factor into what rate works best for your business model (if not just because typing can be slow going). 

But if someone else will benefit financially from whatever comes next then they might also factor into determining payment so keep those things balanced accordingly! 

Plus don’t forget there may be taxes added later on so make sure these numbers match up before committing yourself fully.”””

Takeaways
1. Develop strong listening skills and attention to detail.
2. Acquire the necessary equipment, such as a computer with word processing software and headphones.
3. Improve your typing speed and accuracy through practice and familiarity with keyboard shortcuts.
4. Explore freelancing platforms and job boards for transcription work opportunities.
5. Consider obtaining certifications or completing training programs to enhance your credentials.
6. Network with professionals in the industry for potential job referrals.
7. Stay updated with industry standards and technologies related to transcription.
8. Provide high-quality transcriptions with accuracy and efficiency to build a strong reputation.
9. Develop effective time management and organizational skills to meet deadlines.
10. Continuously improve your skills and stay adaptable to the evolving transcription landscape.

Do your research

When you are new to a field, the easiest way to learn about it is by doing research. The more you know about what freelancing transcriptionists do and how they do it, the more comfortable you will be with your decision and ability to succeed in this profession.

To begin your research, look up the best places to search for jobs that interest you: job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn are great resources for finding work in any industry; 

But since transcription is more of an informal arrangement between two people rather than an actual job posting as one would find on Craigslist or Monster.com, I recommend searching directly on Facebook groups instead of job boards.

Once you’ve found some potential leads through these means (or others), take note of all the requirements listed by each company or individual hiring ex-pats from abroad (they usually post something along the lines of “must be able-bodied”). 

This information can come in handy later on because if there’s anything specific listed as necessary skills needed for success within this field then surely there must exist some kind of training program somewhere online where anyone can get started learning those things!

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Consider How Much You’ll Charge

Now that you’ve chosen the type of freelance transcriptionist you want to be, it’s time to consider how much you will charge for your work.

There are two ways you can charge for your services: by the word or by the minute. Some freelancers mix these methods. This article focuses on charging by the word and will discuss charging per minute in another article soon!

It is important to note that many industries have their standard rates for both methods of payment. 

For example, legal transcriptionists’ jobs tend to be billed at an average rate of $0.25-$0.40 per word; 

However, some fields like medicine and media have higher rates due to more specialized training requirements which makes them more expensive than other industries (e.g., $0.50-$0.60 per word).

Take The Right Gear Into Account

The first thing you need to consider when choosing your gear is the location in which you will do your work. If there are a lot of distractions, such as loud traffic or construction, then it may be a good idea to invest in something like an audio booth or noise-canceling headphones.

You also need to make sure that the microphone on your computer can pick up clear audio. Many laptops have built-in microphones that aren’t great quality, so if you’re working from home and don’t want to invest in a new computer, try using an external USB microphone instead!

It’s also important that the headphones that come with your listening device (phone/tablet) are good quality so that they block out any noise around them while also letting through only what’s being said directly into them (e.g., no background music).

Don’t Forget To Take Breaks, When Needed

This is not to say that you are a robot, but if you need to take breaks from transcription work, do so. When taking breaks, here are some tips:

Make sure that your break time is planned for and that it’s not just when you feel like taking one. If possible, schedule breaks into your day in advance so that you can plan around them and make sure they aren’t negatively affecting your productivity.

Take at least five minutes off every hour or two to stretch and move around this will help prevent repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). 

And if possible, try to find an area where there aren’t other people working nearby; this will help keep your mind focused on the task at hand and not be distracted by what others are doing or saying.

Try meditating or practicing mindfulness during these breaks it’ll help clear away any mental clutter before jumping back into transcription mode again!

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Focus On One Job At A Time

As soon as you start working on a project, it’s important to focus on that job instead of looking at other projects. If you get distracted by another job, then there will be no way for you to complete the first one in time.

Some things can help with staying focused on your work: setting up a dedicated workspace and keeping yourself motivated throughout the day. 

You should also make sure that your workspace is organized so that it doesn’t distract from what needs doing (this includes having your computer set up properly). 

You should also make sure that there aren’t any distractions in the room itself (no TV or radio) because these could take away from getting work done quickly.

If you find yourself procrastinating during transcription jobs, then try making a list of all of the reasons why being a freelance transcriptionist would be beneficial for both now and later in life and keep this list on hand so that whenever temptation gets too strong, refer back to it!

Set Specific Goals

When you’re first starting, it’s important to have some clear-cut goals in mind. The type of work you need to do and the speed at which you can do it are two major factors that will impact how much money you end up making as a transcriptionist.

If your goal is to earn $20 an hour doing freelance transcription work, then here’s what it might look like:

• You can only afford to spend one hour of your time each day on transcription tasks.
• You’ll need to get enough work done in this time so that at the end of each month, when all your bills are paid, there’s still cash left over for fun stuff like food and entertainment (or saving for retirement).

Be Consistent And Work To A Deadline!

As a freelancer, you will have to work for yourself. When it comes to this type of work, you must be consistent and work to a deadline! 

You will have no one telling you when your work should be finished, so it’s up to you. It is good practice in general not only because it helps with keeping your motivation high but also because it ensures that clients are getting what they pay for!

Another thing that can help is setting daily goals – even if they’re small ones like: “I need at least 3 minutes of transcription done today!” 

This way if something comes up and gets in the way of completing those 3 minutes then at least some progress has been made towards reaching your goal (even just a little). 

If something does come up during the day then try not to get distracted from whatever else might be going on around this time by making sure everything else on your plate gets completed first before moving on to other things such as transcribing or editing audio files into transcriptions etc.

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Take Online Courses Or Read Books On How To Be A Transcriptionist, If Needed

If you’re not sure what it takes to become a transcriptionist and you don’t have experience in the field yet, it can be helpful to take some online courses or read books on how to be a transcriptionist.

Online courses are usually more affordable than books and offer some structure in the form of lesson plans and assignments. However, they also tend to be shorter in length than books, so there won’t be as much information for you to absorb.

Books are generally more expensive but can include more information than an online course will cover. 

If you choose this option, make sure that your book covers everything relevant to how transcribing is done today they were written several years ago when technology was less advanced. 

So may not include anything about using audio software or digital dictation machines (DMs).

The best way of learning how to make money as a freelance transcriptionist is by doing it yourself first! 

Once you’ve had some practice doing basic transcriptions, try out other opportunities such as proofreading transcripts before they get sent off-site; 

If possible ask someone who has worked with them before whether there are certain things they would like included within this drafts Section Header: What kind of equipment do I need?

Don’t Hassle Your Client

The most important thing you can do to keep your clients happy is to be polite. Don’t hassle them with information that doesn’t matter, and don’t push them around. 

Be understanding when they need something changed or edited, and don’t be too pushy when you want something done differently than what they’ve asked for.

In other words: be an adult.

Set Up An Environment That’s Suitable For Working In

If you’re not already familiar with the basics, it can be daunting to get started. So let’s take a look at what you need to set up your ideal environment for transcription.

Make sure it’s quiet and distraction-free. Most people work better when they’re in a quiet area with no outside distractions a train station is out of the question! 

If possible, find a spot where there aren’t many other people around so that even if they do talk loudly or make noise (for example: walking past your desk), it won’t interfere too much with what you’re doing.

Have a comfortable chair and desk surface. This might sound like common sense, but it’s important to have good posture while working on anything for extended periods; 

Otherwise, not only will this lead to back pain but also affect how accurately you can transcribe audio files! 

Your chair should be adjustable so that it fits properly under your desk height-wise as well as armrests that provide support when typing/editing text documents (“typing” is just another name for “transcribing”!). 

The desk surface should be large enough so that all of your equipment fits comfortably without having things falling off onto each other when moving around (like having pens rolling off onto another piece of paper).

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Stay Organised

This is a big one. If you’re working as a freelancer, it’s your responsibility to be organized and stay that way. 

I can’t stress this enough! You’ll be surprised how many clients will turn down your services because they think you don’t have the right kind of organization or professionalism, or that you’re not able to handle their job requests properly.

If you’re still unsure about what exactly needs an organizer to run your business efficiently, here are some tips:

Keep a diary of all work done each day (including dates). This will help keep track of which jobs need doing when so that nothing slips through the cracks (and into oblivion!). 

It also helps keep tabs on where the money goes if there are any client disputes later on down the line something which happens more often than we’d like!

Join A Community Of People Who Can Offer Similar Services To You, As Well As Those Who Might Need Them

You’ll want to find a community of people who can offer similar services to you and might want them. This could be on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or even Reddit. Simply search for a specific topic such as transcription or [your area of expertise] and see what comes up.

You might also try searching for jobs in your area of expertise by job title (such as transcriptionist). This way you can instantly identify other individuals who hold similar skillsets that may be able to help you out with work opportunities when they arise!

Acquire The Needed Software For Transcription, I.E., Dragon Naturally Speaking, And Express Scribe Pro

To transcribe audio files, you need the right software. There are lots of options out there, but we recommend Dragon Naturally Speaking and Express Scribe Pro.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a speech recognition software that allows you to type text by voice. 

It’s not perfect sometimes it will mistake words or make silly mistakes like turning “you” into “your” but it has improved tremendously over the years thanks to its developers’ tireless work on improving accuracy.

Express Scribe Pro is also a transcription software for dictation, but it’s more popular with professional transcriptionists because it does almost everything better than Dragon (and other similar products). 

It lets you play back any part of a recording with just one click; provides tools for editing your transcriptions; features automatic formatting; supports audio formats such as mp3s and m4a files (as well as video formats); 

Allows you to use a headset; comes with foot pedal support built-in so all three hands can be free while working at home! With these two programs combined into one powerful package under USD 100 total price tag per year ($49/mo). 

We think these are the best solution available today!

Becoming A Freelance Transcriptionist Is No Easy Task, But It Can Be Done!

Becoming a freelance Transcriptionist is no easy task, but it can be done! Making money from home as a transcriptionist is the ultimate goal of many freelancers. If you want to get started in this field, here are some tips on how to become a freelance transcriptionist:

• Take online courses or read books on how to be a transcriptionist.
• Be organized and stay on top of things when working alone from home.
• Be consistent and work to deadlines that have been set for yourself or clients (or both). This means being able to focus on one project at once without getting distracted by other things going on around you!

Balancing a full-time job with freelance writing can be challenging, but it’s possible with the right approach. Discover valuable insights and practical advice in our article on how to maintain a full-time job and freelance writing without losing your sanity, and unlock the potential of a dual professional life.

Conclusion

If you’ve followed along this far, you’re probably ready to start freelancing. You know all the tools, skills, and processes you need, who your audience are, and what they want from you. 

You’re also aware of the pros & cons of working remotely, both as an employee and an individual business owner. 

Maybe most important of all, now that you’ve had some time to reflect on how these jobs fit into your ideal lifestyle (assuming you read last week’s post) it should be easier for you to decide whether or not freelancing is right for your circumstances.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to explore if you’re interested in becoming a transcriptionist:

How to Become a Transcriptionist: This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions and valuable insights into starting a career as a transcriptionist.

A Beginner’s Guide: How to Become a Transcriptionist: Dive into the basics of becoming a transcriptionist, including the necessary skills, equipment, and tips for success.

Freelance Transcriptionists: What They Do and How to Become One: Learn about the role of freelance transcriptionists and discover the steps to launch your freelance transcription career.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about becoming a transcriptionist:

What skills are required to become a transcriptionist?

To become a transcriptionist, you need excellent listening skills, strong attention to detail, proficiency in grammar and punctuation, and the ability to type accurately and efficiently.

What equipment do I need to start working as a transcriptionist?

Typically, you’ll need a computer with word processing software, a reliable internet connection, headphones, and a foot pedal for audio control. Transcription software can also be beneficial.

How can I improve my typing speed for transcription work?

Practicing regularly, using typing software or online tools, and familiarizing yourself with keyboard shortcuts can help improve your typing speed and efficiency over time.

Where can I find transcription work opportunities?

You can find transcription work opportunities on freelancing platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or specialized transcription job boards. Networking with professionals in the industry can also lead to job referrals.

Are there any certifications or courses to become a transcriptionist?

While certifications aren’t always required, they can enhance your credentials and marketability. Look for transcription training programs or courses that provide comprehensive training in transcription techniques and industry standards.