Can Anyone Become a Transcriptionist?
Oct 07, 2015
Working from home has many advantages, but it is really not for everyone. It not only requires fast typing skills, it requires self-discipline and above-average grammar and punctuation skills.
There's a lot of information floating around cyberspace claiming that anyone can become a transcriptionist; all you need are fast typing skills. This is so far from the truth. It kills me to read articles advertising general transcription as an easy work-at-home option. Those same articles don't even mention a need for grammar and punctuation skills. These articles are, in essence, duping unsuspecting people into believing it's easy to become a transcriptionist ... when it's not.
Before you quit your full-time job to work your dream job from home as a transcriptionist, do a quick self-assessment. If you're a social butterfly, you might not enjoy the isolation associated with working from home. Although I do believe that particular aspect of working on your own is more than offset by the time it affords you to be with the people you really want to be with: your family, friends, and other loved ones. However, if you're lacking in self-discipline, you might have a tendency to procrastinate and end up missing a deadline (a big no-no in my book), or staying up all night to meet a deadline (ugh!). Either way, you'll be unhappy, your client will be unhappy, and this work probably isn't a good fit for you.
Self Assessment
Ask yourself these six questions to self-assess whether working from home is a good fit:
- Are you self-motivated and self-disciplined?
- Do you have strong organizational and time management skills?
- Are you comfortable working alone?
- Are you able to work independently with little to no supervision or feedback?
- Are you flexible to changing routines and deadlines?
- Do you have an appropriate work environment at home?
Ready for a career as a transcriptionist?
Check out the free Transcription Foundations mini-course to learn more about a career as a transcriptionist.