24 Online Transcription Jobs for Beginners (With Rate Info)

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Working from home as a typist is a great way to earn a stable income with flexible hours. If you are an experienced typist with a solid knowledge of grammar

, this could be a rewarding career for you.

In this article, we'll explain the basics of online transcription jobs, including the skills and equipment you'll need to get started. We're also sharing a list of 24 companies hiring typists to work remotely.

on audio projects in a variety of industries.

What is a transcriptionist?

A transcriber

is someone who listens to an audio or video recording and then accurately types everything that is said, delivering a clean document with no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Some transcription companies require a certain level of precision down to every "er" and "um", so it's important to pay close attention to detail in this job. Things you might want to transcribe include podcasts, interviews, business meetings, and classroom lectures.

How to become a transcriptionist

You can start as a remote transcriptionist with relatively no training, as long as you have certain skills

and the basic equipment needed to carry out the work. Once you gain experience, you can move into higher paying jobs by investing in certifications that qualify you for specialized roles, such as: B. Medical and legal transcriptionists.

Here's what a beginner needs to know to start an online transcription career:

Skills and Abilities Required

To get started as a general online transcriptionist, it is important to have the following skills:

• Ability to type quickly
• Ability to type accurately
• Good grammar, spelling and punctuation
• Computer skills
• good hearing
• Strong ability to concentrate
• Strong time management skills
• Equipment/Software

Online transcription jobs do not require expensive equipment, but you must have a computer with high-speed internet and word processing software, like Microsoft Word. Most companies advise you to purchase transcription software that allows you to slow down the audio so you can more easily understand each word. Transcription software usually includes headphones to improve sound quality and a pedal so you can play, fast forward, and rewind audio without taking your hands off the keyboard.

Some transcription companies may require you to download certain applications in order to access audio files. One of these accounts is the Amazon MTurk account. Make sure you understand how to access files and deliver your finished documents before accepting an order.

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Many transcription companies are willing to hire freelance transcriptionists with no prior experience, as long as you have the required skills. If you are a beginner, you may be asked to submit a sample transcript or take a test. General transcription training programs are also available online and can help you get that first job.

Although you can be hired for transcription work without formal training or experience, some higher-paying positions, such as B. medical or legal transcription, require certification.

    Medical certificate

    Working as a transcriptionist in the medical field requires a one-year certification program or an associate's degree in medical transcription. Courses include training in medical documentation, medical language, and anatomy.

Legal certificate

To work as a legal transcriptionist, you must complete a training program that teaches legal systems and terminology, documentation, and research. Instead of a certificate program, you can also earn an associate's degree as a legal administrative assistant.

Certified Medical Documentation Specialist (CHDS)

This certification will help you become more competitive in the online transcription job market. Transcribe Anywhere is a company that offers online courses and certifications.

Benefits of being an online transcriptionist

Flexible working hours and the ability to work at your own pace are some of the key benefits of an online transcription job. Unless a company specifies specific working hours, typists can set their own working hours. However, some companies require typists to complete a certain daily word count, and some assignments may require you to meet a specific deadline. Be sure to discuss expected hours or workload with your prospective employer before starting a job.

Ways to Find Legitimate Online Transcription Opportunities

There are many legitimate transcription services that employ remote transcriptionists to meet their needs. Many companies use an online platform like Indeed to hire and commission freelance typists for projects.

A company hiring online transcription work must provide the following:

Free application process

Legitimate online transcription companies make money off clients and shouldn't charge you money to get started. You may be required to pay a small background check fee when applying to a company that handles sensitive information.

Clear instructions to get you started

Companies that hire remote transcriptionists are required to provide information on their website that clearly outlines the steps to follow when applying for a freelance position. Some transcription companies only provide an email contact or form for people interested in working with the company. If you are inexperienced, it may not be worth investigating.

payment plan

Transcription companies need to be clear about when and how they pay contractors. Most will pay you after a while based on the projects you've completed.

How to succeed as an online transcriptionist

There are certain ways to make a good first impression in this field. If you want to excel at this job and increase your earning potential, consider the following:

  Be specific. Make sure your transcriptions are clean and you've typed every word spoken in your audio file. As a beginner, accuracy is more important than speed.

  Meet your deadlines. When you're just starting out as an online transcriptionist, it may take longer than expected to complete a task. Give yourself enough time to meet your deadlines.

   Advertise online. Once you gain some experience, you can create an online website to improve as a transcriptionist. You can post on social media with links to your website.

10 online transcription companies

The following companies offer remote transcription opportunities for beginning and experienced transcribers with varying payment structures based on either per word transcription or audio/video minutes and hours. Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed. For the most up-to-date information, please click on the links below.

1. Rev

With over 170,000 clients worldwide, including CBS and Viacom, Rev is a leading source for online transcription jobs.

Rev is always on the lookout for typists with excellent English skills and attention to detail - a solid opportunity for any aspiring freelance writer.

Now you don't need any transcription experience to get started; Just take a grammar quiz and provide a quick transcript sample and you're good to go.

2. TranscribeMe

TranscribeMe offers training and a starting salary of $15-$22 per hour of audio.

You typically transcribe short clips of two to four minutes and can do as much work as you like.

Basically, when a clip ends, the next one will automatically load until you want to stop - it's a pretty simple process.

TranscribeMe also offers advancement opportunities to work in "specialty teams" for medical transcription and "specialty styles" for VIP clients.

3. Crowdsurf

Crowdsurf reports by the minute.

And as a freelance transcriber for Crowdsurf, you'll create video subtitles for deaf, hard of hearing, and foreign-language viewers.

So if you're thorough and a good listener, they'd love to hear from you.

You'll also need proofreading skills and fluent English (but you probably already knew that).

You must therefore first register with Work Market.

After that, you can login to Crowdsurf for freelance work as a transcriptionist.

Crowdsurf promises that “at the end of the day, you may have money to spend”.

4. Quicktate

Quicktate offers a wide range of transcription services.

And like most transcription jobs, a certain level of English proficiency is required. But if English isn't your forte, Quicktate also offers foreign language transcription features.

Now Quicktate requires transcription experience. So it might not be a good option if you are just starting out.

(You must also be free from any felony or misdemeanor).

Speaking of work:

On a job, you might be transcribing 2-3 minutes of voicemails. And the next day, you might be working through several hour-long conference calls.

5. SpeakWrite

You must be a legal resident of the United States or Canada to apply for SpeakWrite.

Note to our friends in Cali: Applications from California residents will not be accepted.

SpeakWrite requires one year of transcription experience in an office environment. You must also pass a writing test at 60 words per minute (wpm).

SpeakWrite makes it clear that this is a work from home job and not another freelance transcription gig.

So if you find transcription work satisfying and enjoyable, SpeakWrite might have a place in your future.

6. Tigerfish

While he's not currently hiring, Tigerfish should be on the radar of any aspiring typist.

One of the coolest things about Tigerfish is that they have an impressive list of clients, like Gap and Newsweek to name a few.

From a one-man operation picking up tapes and delivering typed transcripts, Tigerfish has grown into a transcription juggernaut.

But Tigerfish isn't for the recalcitrant new freelance transcriptionist.

Take the premium product Tigerfish Air, for example, which guarantees customers a full transcript of any live or recorded event within two hours.

However, if you are a transcription enthusiast and looking for a new challenge, keep an eye out for Tigerfish openings.

7. CastingWords

CastingWords says they are still hiring.

So if you are a hardworking transcriptionist with bright eyes and a fluffy tail, take his transcription test.

Head Up: They only hire freelance transcriptionists on their site, so any other site claiming to have CastingWords jobs is not legit.

CastingWords markets itself to clients as an outsourced transcription service. It just means that the projects are distributed to independent freelance transcribers.

In addition to English, CastingWords offers general transcription services in French and Spanish.

CastingWords offers guaranteed next day service within 24 hours. So if you're a super-fast transcriber, send them a message.

Head Up #2: Freelance transcriptionists are paid per minute and must be over 18 years old.

8. Scribie

Do you think you are better than a robot?

(I know you're better than a robot).

Scribie offers customers two options:

1. AI-generated transcription services (with an accuracy of 80% to 95%)
2. Human-made transcription services (with 99% accuracy)

Of course, the A.I. is cheaper and faster than the human-generated transcription option.

However, the variable accuracy of A.I. off-putting for some customers.

Experienced transcribers are also always needed for quality control, because A.I. is – like humans – anything but perfect.

The transcription process at Scribie is pretty thorough, and multiple people work on each audio file.

Their website has a contact page where you can introduce yourself, so give them a call and let them know who you are!

9. GMR Transcription 

GMR Transcription is looking for career-oriented transcriptionists.

Although no experience is required to apply, a generalist transcriptionist can increase their pay rates by taking on more complex tasks.

The ideal candidate will learn and grow with the company to become a better transcriptionist.

As part of your application, you must complete a transcription test. Additionally, GMR says you'll need over-ear headphones and a pedal, as well as high-speed internet and Microsoft Office.

A GMR transcriptionist can expect to earn between $1,000 and $3,000 per month.

You must reside somewhere in the United States (other than California) to apply.

10. Transcription Outsourcing LLC

Transcription Outsourcing LLC is seeking US based transcriptionists.

The company also has a blog dedicated to the transcription industry. So if you're a new transcriptionist and want to learn more, be sure to check it out.

Transcription outsourcing accepts inexperienced transcriptionists, but your pay rate increases as you gain more experience. You will also get more money depending on shift, turnaround time and audio quality.

They offer specialized law enforcement, academic, financial and medical transcription services.

Transcription outsourcing has paid up to $5 a minute for court hearings needed overnight. The typical rate is $0.80 to $1.10 per minute. Medical