subject: Transcription Schools Online - Are They Really Worth the Money? [print this page] Don't be fooled! There are no legitimately "accredited" or "certified" or otherwise transcription schools online. General transcription encompasses such a wide range of transcription services including, but not at all limited to: focus groups, podcasts, meetings, presentations, investigations, interviews, sermons and anything else that can be recorded, there is no one niche format or one specific way that documents should be transcribed or any specific terminology courses that you can take that are unique to any one industry.
I have seen some alleged transcription schools online that are charging an exorbitant amount of money, which I personally think is highway robbery, that claim to "teach" you general transcription or appear as though you're going to get some kind of certification or diploma when you're finished. I would say stay clear of any "course" that's trying to milk you for a few hundred bucks talking this kind of hype. It's just not worth it.
With some research, the right tools, which most people already have on hand today, and some free programs, just about anyone who has a desire to learn and a desire to earn can make a living in this industry without paying hundreds of dollars for any alleged transcription schools online.
So what will these alleged schools or expensive courses claim to teach you? Why, the same things you can learn yourself without expensive schools and for free!
* Just as with all medical or legal transcription careers, general transcription also requires excellent English skills grammar, punctuation and spelling as well as proficient use of the computer and word processing programs. For contractors outsourcing this work, general transcription is frequently paid on a piecework basis; therefore, typing skills are essential.
* Some technical skills are required, such as how to use email and FTP; sending and receiving or downloading digital audio files over the Internet is rather critical and can be learned quickly, without spending any money.
* Great listening skills are key; you'll need to listen, hear and capture nearly every word and type it as you hear it.
* Good typing speed; while some transcription companies, as you go to apply with them, may require upwards of 65-90 wpm, if you're starting out doing overflow work on focus groups, for instance, you may be able to get by with 50 wpm if the turnaround time (the amount of time needed to get the document transcribed and back to the client) is more than 24 or 48 hours.
So again, although general transcription requires flexibility and excellent basic skills, there are no credible formal education or transcription schools online available for becoming a general transcriptionist.
So how do you learn what you need to learn to get started in this field? If you're not good at typing, you can take some free online typing skills tests to brush up. Also, the longer and more often you type, the faster you will get naturally.
How is your English grammar and punctuation? Again, there are some free English grammar resources for brushing up on your grammar and spelling skills, as well as using your word processor program's spell checking features.
And technical skills with the computer and file transfers, again, there is a lot of free instruction today for learning these sorts of things. If you're familiar with YouTube.com, the video instruction is endless!
Another free resource for finding out more information from transcriptionists that do this every day for a living is the WAHM Transcription Services forum. Just browse the forum, read through the information, the post questions if you have any. You're likely to even find overflow work in the forums too from some busy transcriptionists that will help you get your feet wet in the world of general transcription.
And if you need some brushing up on MS Word, WordTips.com is an excellent resource for getting unstuck - all of this without spending a dime!
Transcription Schools Online - Are They Really Worth the Money?
