How to Become a Transcriptionist (And Make Full-time Income from Home)

If you are looking for stay at home mom jobs you can build a real business off, Transcribing is a great way to make money from home based on its flexibility, pay, and scalability.

Just ask Janet of Transcribe Anywhere who built a digital empire right from home with her skills.

In case you didn’t know, transcriptionists listen to audio files and type what they hear.

If you didn’t know that this was a valid career path for stay at home moms, or if you’ve been searching for how to become a transcriptionist that gets paid her worth, stay tuned.

Janet (that’s her) so kindly agreed to answer my questions on becoming a transcriptionist and when you are done reading this post, you’ll know exactly what the first step to take is.

Remember to sign up for her free training here to get even further ahead.

Let’s do it!

Can you give us a brief look into your background and how you got started as a Transcriptionist? What motivated you to become one?

I actually learned to transcribe back in the Stone Age using shorthand and typewriters. But I didn’t start my work-at-home career in transcription until 2006, when my husband became disabled.

It was no longer possible for me to work a full-time job outside the home and take care of him.

It’s funny how life works. Those rocks thrown into our paths are really stepping stones. I can’t believe that I ever settled for less than the life I have now and, to most everyone, I had what would be considered a “great job.” Ha!

Working for yourself on your own schedule, being able to be there to take care of your kids or other loved ones, being able to travel…These are all things that are possible when working from home (or anywhere) as a transcriptionist. 

And how has that paid off for you financially? Very well?

Let’s just say that I’m more than comfortable.

I’ve built two very successful businesses and am working on a third.

I never divulge my income. I think it’s tacky and I don’t believe anyone on the internet who brags about how much money they make.

Besides, my earnings may not be at all relative to what someone else earns. We’re all different and have different needs and desires. Some want to work only part-time. Fine. Some want to go big like I did. Fine. It’s up to the individual to decide where they want to be and how much they want to earn. 

That’s interesting, can you tell us how transcribing works exactly?

Transcribing is the art of turning audio and video articles into text.

Anyone who produces audio and video content needs the services of a qualified transcriptionist to take care of that for them.

Just think about all of the content being produced online on a daily basis. Savvy business people use the audio and video content for other purposes. It may become a book. Bloggers don’t have to slog away at their keyboards. Marketers and trainers need written content to accompany video. Authors need transcribers. Academics need our services. Conferences and interviews are transcribed. ALL legal proceedings are transcribed. The list goes on and on! 

If you had to say, is transcribing hard? Especially if you have no experience. Also, are there any cons?

It’s very nearly impossible to pass a transcription test without training and practice.

Yes, there are big-box companies who will hire just about anyone, but the pay is terrible and the audio quality is usually the worst. That’s not our market.

It takes a commitment to study and practice to become truly skilled and to command higher pay than those cheapo companies charge.

I’ve gained scores of clients who’ve tried to go with these low-rate companies, only to find that they were spending more time editing the poorly transcribed material than if they just paid a pro to do it well to begin with.

They don’t want to spend their time editing transcripts. They need to focus on building their own businesses and smart people know what they’re good at and what should be outsourced. 

A computer (laptop is fine) with an internet connection is needed to get started. Then, training and some equipment, which is not expensive, is needed to properly provide transcription services. 

So as a stay at home mom, what would you say you love most about being a transcriptionist?

What I love most about providing transcription services is the time freedom and flexibility offered. I don’t have to ask anyone for time off. I work when and where I want.

Does that mean I don’t work a lot? No. I do work a lot.

But as long as I meet my client’s expected turnaround time on a transcript, it doesn’t matter when or where I work. I don’t have to miss important (and fun!) things in my life because I’m working. 

Editor’s Note: I so love this! Every mom should have this!

And for moms who want to start offering transcription services, what skills do they typically need?

All of the skills needed can be learned, but there are some things that you need to have to make it easier:

• You must be able to type.
• You must have a decent grasp of English grammar and punctuation.
• You have to be comfortable with word processing software.
• You have to be able to navigate the internet and use email.

All of these things can be learned or expanded upon. The most essential attribute is your mindset. You have to have a sincere desire to succeed and be willing to commit to study and practice. 

One question lots of moms ask is how much transcriptionists earn, especially for beginners. Can you give us an estimate to go by?

The national average is $58K/year. That’s for full-time.

Many transcriptionists prefer to work part-time. Most beginners start out in the lower range and build their income as their skill level and client base increases.

This is definitely not a get-rich-quick deal. It takes time to build a business.

With that said, most of our graduates recoup the cost of their training within a month of graduation. 

So how can one start making money as a transcriptionist with no experience?

Train first.

Or, go with one of the big-box companies who don’t care about quality and make very little money.

It’s okay to go that route if you just want to gain experience, but it’s not where you ultimately want to be. 

And any tips on how to get jobs? I know that figuring out how to get transcription jobs is a big issue for most beginners.

We give our students all of the tools and resources needed to land their first transcription jobs.

That part of the training only comes after completing the courses and passing the final exam. I don’t share our secrets with the world. ? To do so would be doing a grave disservice to our graduates who’ve worked so hard and might also potentially damage the high regard in which Transcribe Anywhere graduates are held.

I very literally have people banging on my inbox door inquiring about hiring our grads. Certification puts you heads and tails above the rest of the pack.

Want to get certified so you can get ahead faster? Signup for Janet’s Course here.

So that’s it!

Thank you so much Janet for taking the time to answer my questions, I’ve learned a lot myself.

Remember the key takeaways:

• Bad experiences can sometimes lead to a great outcome.
• Transcribing is a profitable and in-demand work from home job with the potential to earn full-time income from home.
• Transcribing can be your work from home job if you have the drive and determination to turn in work on time.
• To get started, you’ll need to be able to type, have a decent grasp of English grammar and punctuation, be comfortable with word processing software, and be able to navigate the internet and use email.
• Anyone can become a transcriptionist and get paid but those with training always have more jobs and get paid higher.

If you are ready to take the plunge, you can view Janet’s course details, syllabi, and success stories at www.transcribeanywhere.com. And don’t forget to sign up for the free training on how to become a successful transcriptionist from home.

Be a darling and pin me please!

Share for good karma ;)