Transcribing is a flexible job that you can do at any time as you can set your working schedule, and it requires little experience to start. Even though transcribing seems like an easy job, you will need to put in some work to excel. It does not only involve typing; there are various audio files and videos that you can transcribe. It is essential to have excellent transcription and translation skills to excel in this area. Here are seven practices you can follow to enhance your performance.
Table of Contents
1. High Accuracy and Fast Typing Speed
Transcribers must have a high typing speed and the ability to type accurately. Slow typing will waste a lot of time and give you less revenue. The average typing speed is 40 to 45 words per minute; however, the best typing speed of an excellent transcriber is 60 to 80 words per minute with little to no errors. An expert in audio transcription can swiftly type 100 words per minute. The typing speed is very crucial, but you should not overlook accuracy. Making a lot of corrections will waste your time, impacting your earning rate. Build on your typing speed, and you will be able to secure a considerable amount of money per day.
2. Research Skills
Excellent research skills are a basic need if you aim to offer exceptional transcription services . You must be able to research content on various subject matters and professional jargon. Transcribing is subdivided into three categories: general, legal, and medical. These categories result in diverse files and topics; thus, you must be a great researcher to catch some unfamiliar words and terminologies. Additionally, you will be able to research vital information and proper nouns such as acronyms, names, companies, etc.
3. Good Command of the Translation Language
You must have proficient language skills, for instance, English, to provide a clean written document without compromising the original thought and meaning of the audio or video file. Your grammar, punctuation, and spelling prowess should be exceptional to perform well in this job and retain your clients. Although there are available digital devices that identify and correct grammatical errors in a second, it is crucial to have the background knowledge to prevent common mistakes. Proficiency in English will enable you to include translation services alongside transcribing since they integrate perfectly.
4. Proficiency in Technology
You do not have to be a computer guru to grasp the art of transcribing. The basic computer skills are adequate in making you a good performer in this job. However, one must know how to utilize the appropriate transcribing software. Aim to know how to maximize Microsoft Word’s use for proper transcribing formats and Google search efficiency is enough to excel.
5. Attention to Detail
A good transcriptionist must be a keen listener to grasp the small details in the files. The little details contribute to the meaning conveyed by the speakers in the audio or video files. You must re-read as you type to ensure you do not miss any detail. Leaving one word can alter the meaning of the sentence. You must also do a lot of research to ensure that you have good knowledge of the topic you are transcribing.
6. Attentive Listener
Transcribers must be good listeners to transcribe accurately without missing some details. Listening skills will enable you to accurately understand the audio despite challenges such as background noises, multiple speakers, soft voices, and crosstalk. In some cases, audio transcription requires intelligent guesses for an indecipherable audio file section. Additionally, translation requires attentive listening to avoid altering the message’s meaning.
7. Know Your Clients Needs
Ask your clients how they want their document to be when you return it and their preferred format. Inquiring will prevent you from many hassles, such as doing revisions that waste your valuable time. Thus, before commencing your novel transcription project, ask your client about some elements such as formatting, font size and text style, margins, headers and files, and time code requirements and formats.
Conclusion
Transcribers need to practice basic transcribing requirements to generate accurate and clean written documents. The practices will enable them to overcome challenges, such as background noises and multiple speakers. Also, they will be able to generate smart guesses when the files have inaudible sections. Transcribers can take up an editing test online free of charge to develop their transcribing skills and practices.
