The importance of transcription in any kind of business has been growing in recent years. Written and electronic texts are more accessible and convenient compared to digital audio, especially when there is a need to take notes. If you want to hire a transcriptionist, you should first be able to answer the question, “How do transcription services work?”
Transcripts contain accurate data and information, and it is presented in a way that can be easily understood. However, it’s not something you can do yourself. These documents take hard work and time to complete. Success takes a thorough understanding of the question, “How do transcriptions services work?”
Why Should You Hire a Transcriptionist?
Before you find out how do transcription services work, you need to know the reasons why you should hire this professional rather than do the work yourself.
Enjoy accurate work
When you hire a transcriptionist, you will enjoy a high rate of accuracy, whatever your document is. Professionals employ their best techniques to handle your file in a superior way. Although your staff may be able to do the transcript for you, a transcriptionist’s work will always be better.
Whether you work in the legal field or medical industry, or you’re hiring a transcriptionist for captions and subtitles, you can easily find skilled professionals that boast years of experience in your particular industry.
Use their knowledge
When they are starting their career, transcriptionists may do general work. In the process of working with many industries, they will find the niche that suits their skills best. Considering this, transcriptionists understand all technical aspects of your document. When you’re working with these professionals, you’re sure that they comprehend what your business is all about. This will allow them to complete their work quickly.
Get the output on time
Transcriptionists don’t only have experience under their belt but also the right tools and dedication. Your project will receive the highest amount of attention to detail, so it will be done when you need it. Whereas if you do the work yourself, you may struggle to finish the document and manage your time to do other tasks.
If you want a quick turnaround for your transcription work, choose a professional that will give you exactly what you need. Typically, transcriptionists can type 50 words per minute.
Save money
Not all companies have the budget to hire an experienced transcriptionist, but it will be more expensive if they get all the tools and equipment needed to do the job. The pricing of these professionals is worth it because they can help you achieve your goal in no time. At the end of the day, you should hire a transcriptionist that is within your budget. This way, you won’t waste time, money, and effort.
Improved security
Having a member of your staff work on transcribing documents may have repercussions since they may leak private company information. When you work with a professional transcriptionist, your audio and video files will be protected by security measures. Meaning, you won’t need to worry about having information fall into the wrong hands or become mishandled by an angry employee. Not only that, but your customer’s data will also remain safe. When all your company files are secure and protected, your customers will feel more at ease.
Equipment Transcriptionists Work With
To further identify how do transcription services work, you need to know some of the equipment that allows professionals to do their job.
Laptop or computer
The most important transcription tool a professional needs is a computer. This could either be a laptop or a desktop, depending on their preference. Laptops are very handy when people work away from their office. On the other hand, desktops are the top choice for those who want to upgrade their setup frequently.
Headphones
A professional also needs a comfortable pair of headphones. This is essential, especially if they are working with difficult audio that contains a lot of noise and indiscernible dialogue. Noise-canceling headphones are so important for transcriptionists working in public since it screens out three-fourths of external noise.
Keyboard
An ergonomically designed keyboard is vital in the list of necessary tools a transcriptionist needs. This will ensure that they won’t experience pain in their forearm and wrist when they are typing out for hours. While ergonomic keyboards may take a while to get used to, it’s a far better choice than regular keyboards.
Ergonomic chair
An ergonomic chair will give transcriptionists much-needed back and neck support and comfort. Having an adjustable chair is also recommended so professionals can position themselves any way they want. Since professionals spend most of their days glued to their work chair, choosing a subpar product can result in productivity and health consequences.
Foot pedal
Foot pedals are optional, but they make the lives of transcriptionists easier. A foot pedal will allow them to rewind, fast forward, and play the audio while they are typing. Instead of using their hands, they can just press on the lever with their feet, so it will save time and effort.
Word processing software
Professional transcriptionists need to have word processing software such as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Knowing how to use these programs is extremely important since it will allow them to be better transcriptionists.
Thesaurus and dictionary
Doing intelligent transcriptions, even for general transcription work, is no easy feat. For professionals who want to take on difficult jobs, they need to have a thesaurus and dictionary. These two can help them with the meaning of words they were not aware of. It also ensures that they will be typing accurate synonyms so the meaning of the speech will be preserved.
Time tracking software
Freelance transcribers need time tracking software, so they can easily track how many minutes or hours they spend in a single audio file. This will help them charge their clients appropriately.
Text expander
Text expanders allow professionals to simply press a code or key instead of typing out a long phrase that is repeated throughout the project.
Speech recognition software
Speech can easily be converted to a text format with speech recognition software. Through this, transcripts can instantly be generated, and all the transcriptionist needs to do next is to edit it.
File converter
Audio and video converters need to be part of a transcriptionist’s arsenal. There is a need to convert files because some documents only work on certain devices. Thankfully, many tools can convert video and audio for free.
Audio: How Do Transcription Services Work?
This type of transcription refers to the process of transcribing speech to text manually. Professionals will listen to your audio file then write the words into texts. To transcribe audio files, transcriptionists can use multiple technological options, or they can do it manually.
Clients need to choose what type of transcription they want the professional to follow. It is important to note that audio transcription does not cover the facial expressions of the speaker, so the emotions can’t be understood, similar to video transcriptions.
Video Transcription: How Do Transcription Services Work?
Video transcription is when professionals transcribe the video recording to text, similar to audio transcription. However, it must also include some visual cues to have more detailed output. The major purpose of this transcription service is for on-screen presentations.
Similar to audio transcription, it can be done using special tools or software or manually.
While a large volume of documents may heavily rely on automated transcription, it is still important to go with manual transcription since it will give you better results and accuracy.
Essential Tips to Keep in Mind When Posting a Job
Knowing how do transcription services work is not enough. For all companies, getting the attention of qualified professionals is a big challenge. This is why you have to write an amazing job title and description to attract the best transcriptionists.
Determine your needs
First, identify what type of file you want to transcribe. This will serve as your guide when writing your job post. For example, if you are transcribing an eyewitness interview, you need a verbatim transcription. If you need to convert a speech to text form, you need the professional to follow the edited transcription style.
Make your company look good
Online job postings can give your company more opportunities for growth. It can also become a magnet to determine who wants to work with you in the future. As such, it’s vital to build a good online presence even when posting a job. Put time and effort into describing the duties of the job, and use the right tone of language. Also, keep in mind to have the proper links. If you want to take the extra mile, describe your company culture.
Keep the title simple
It’s not recommended to have multiple variations of your job title. For instance, job posts for “Transcriptionist / Audio transcriber / Experienced transcriptionist” will simply confuse your applicants, and ultimately, this will work against you. Instead, use a clear title like “Experienced audio transcriber needed.”
Write a clear job description
The ultimate secret to attracting the best candidates is to reveal the intricacies of the job as clearly as you can. This will allow professionals to evaluate the job well. Take time to write down some of the most searched keywords by transcriptionists and incorporate these words in your title and description. Instead of writing a laundry list of what you need, focus on the basic requirements of the transcriptionist you want to hire. This includes skills and experience.
Make sure you don’t miss any job posting essentials such as the responsibilities of the job and salary.
Knowing How Do Transcription Services Work Is Important
Whether you have a big or small company, a transcriber can help you in so many ways. Now that you know how do transcription services work, you can hire this professional online. Thanks to credible platforms like Bunny Studio, you can enjoy affordable rates for quality output.