What is Transcribing | A Freelance Opportunity
If you’re considering going off the beaten path and working as a freelancer, you may have wondered what field to go into. Of the many fields available, transcribing can be a lucrative path if you have a particular set of skills. Today, we’ll learn what is transcribing and discuss in detail some examples and resources to get started.
What is Transcribing? Put Your Listening and Typing Skills to the Test
Transcribing is the art of converting spoken words (audio) into written form (text).
That means listening to audio, and typing it out into text. This is highly sought after labor, and although it may seem low-skill, transcribing can require masteries. In the modern digital world, content creators need to make sure their content is both accessible and robust and audio format by itself can be limited. Having content in multiple formats and presentations ensures individuals can consume that content in the way that they wish. Not everyone is keen to the audio format, and may prefer to read. In fact, many individuals may be hard of hearing–that is why transcribing is so important in modern society.
What Type of Work Needs Transcription?
Here are some of the most common types of work and scenarios where transcription is needed:
Formal court hearings, where interactions need to be formally recorded and processed
Audiobooks that need to be transcribed into text
Podcasts that need a text version in order to be properly recorded
Interviews that are in video or audio only format, but need proper text
Meetings–any kind of meeting that may need minutes or conversations recorded for future reference
Healthcare–doctor’s notes or medical practitioners’ patient commentary/health history may need transcribing to document properly
Lectures–in academic settings, transcribers may record a lecture for future use or documentation
Events and Speeches–speakers and audience members may want a record of speeches at events or conferences
What Do You Need to Become a Transcriber or Transcriptionist?
In order to become a transcriber, you need to possess a few skills and be masterfully adept at them:
Listening skills–this goes without saying, but you need to be able to pick up words very effectively, and be able to extract punctuation, emotion and interpret audio in a fluid and artistic manner
Typing skills–if you can’t type fast, you may find yourself stumbling over the audio and needing to repeat it constantly, which can make the job tedious and inefficient. For live events, this could even result in missing pieces of information
Language skills–whichever language you’re transcribing in, make sure you are a master at that language. You not only need to understand the language, but be able to pick up nuances, punctuation and emotion within context.
Research ability–sometimes you may come across an opportunity to transcribe for something extremely specific. For example, if you are transcribing in the medical field, you may come across complicated terminology for illnesses and conditions. If you do not do research beforehand, you may find yourself stumbling on complex vocabulary and becoming inefficient.
In addition to skills, a Transcriber might need some equipment.
Equipment for a Transcriptionist:
Electronic device for word processing. This doesn’t have to be a laptop, but you need some sort of device where you can type and “place your words”. For many, this is Microsoft Word on a PC.
High quality headset or headphones. The better you can hear the audio you’re transcribing, the faster and more efficient your transcribing sessions will be. In fact, it may be worth it to use a higher end headset, if you find yourself unable to hear the audio, it’s only going to slow down your process significantly.
Internet connection. No matter how you’re transcribing (remotely or in-person), you will probably need an internet connection in order to upload, download, and edit your work.
A foot pedal. Think of this equipment as an additional keyboard, but controlled with your foot. Foot pedals can add a lot of efficiency into your transcribing process, because you can keep your hands on the keyboard to continue typing. In many cases, a foot pedal has 3 buttons that allow for custom programming. Common customizations for the foot pedal include: rewinding, pausing, slowing down, fast-forward, and/or actions related to jumping from section to section.
Software. In transcribing, you can find powerful software that can enable more efficiencies in your transcribing process. For example, there may be software available that allows you to program custom shortcuts that type out common words in a quicker manner. When repeated hundreds and thousands of times, efficiency software can help you save time.
How to Become a Freelance Transcriptionist
Decide what field, if any, you want to specialize in. If you prefer a more specialized field like legal, medical, or court reporting, you may have to obtain special certifications or degrees.
Practice. Repeat the simple things, practice transcribing audio files on your own. Is your typing fast? Is it accurate? Do you find yourself needing to rewind, pause or slow down a lot? During this step, you should find out if transcribing is for you, if you’re ready, or if you need more practice
Find gigs. You can start applying online using resources like Upwork, Transcribeme.com, or Rev.com
Don’t be discouraged. Starting out, you may have to settle for lower rates and harder gigs. As you gain confidence, you’ll figure out your style, what types of audio you work best with, and how to win clients.
FAQs:
What is an example of transcribing?
Transcribing means listening to audio and writing down the audio as text. An example of transcribing would be if an individual listened to a podcast and typed out the podcast in text, word for word.
What is a transcriber job?
A transcriber, or transcriptionist, is someone who writes spoken words into text. Examples include transcriptionists who write down spoken medical notes using word processing software, or typing out court hearings using a stenotype machine.
What do you mean by transcribing?
The definition of transcribe means to make a written copy of. Usually this means turning audio into a written form.
