13 Best Transcription Jobs For Beginners & Pros (make up to $25/hr from home)

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Are you a stay-at-home mom or student looking for a way to make money with ease? Think of transcription jobs. These jobs are easy to do and do not require special skills or experience. Also, it is pretty easy to find the best transcription jobs on the internet.

The exciting thing about this side hustle is that you can start right away if you have the requirements in place. 

Let’s take a look at the best transcription jobs available in different categories. 

But before that,

Why transcription?

Bloggers, health workers, business people, lawyers, website owners, and all you can think of are always very busy. For them, taking out three to four hours a day to write out their contents feels impossible. 

To help, people came up with ideas that eventually turned into software and apps that enable this busy class to record their contents and have it transcribed for them for a certain amount. 

But behind this transcription software and apps are people that spend hours converting the spoken words into writing. Maybe you are asking, “Why don’t they use Artificial intelligence?”

Despite the level of development done on robots and other forms of artificial intelligence, they have not sustained the ability to transcribe such recordings to the clients’ satisfaction. The language of man is best understood by man, and robots cannot change that; at least for now. 

So the owners of these apps and software hire people to help them complete the transcription task to meet up the demand. This is where you come in. 

Your duty as a transcriptionist is similar to that of data entry. You are to write out the recorded audio into a document format that the client can easily review. 

What are the requirements for transcription jobs?

Though some transcription sites do not need any particular set of skills and experience for a start, you need to have the following at your disposal to aid you to do the work. 

• A good laptop 
• Strong internet connection 
• An audio playback software
• High-quality headphone 
• Foot pedal to help you rewind, pause, and play the audio by foot. 

The last two will aid you with speed and productivity. 

Getting ready for the transcription task 

To earn higher than a beginner with no experience, taking a transcription course is advised. 

Basically, you need to have a good typing speed with little or no grammatical errors, but since the transcription job is highly competitive, there is a need to possess more. 

Also, employers are more interested in hiring transcriptionists that can take care of higher technical issues like time stamping a file, tracking more than two speakers, and others. 

That is why you need to take some transcription courses. Find them on Udemy. 

Also, many transcription sites will require that you take and pass a test before being hired. It is good to be prepared before shooting your shot. 

Practice how to get through with the transcription tests with sites like Listen and Write, and GoTranscript Practice.

How much can I earn from doing a transcription job?

There is no exact pay for doing a transcription job, especially at the beginner’s stage. The payment differs based on the client’s company and site. But even companies on the same site may pay differently. 

You can set the amount you want to earn if you do this job on Fiverr or Upwork.

But on average, beginners can earn $15 and professionals, $25 or more per audio hour. 

How long does the transcription of a 30-minute audio take?

I cannot say for sure the exact amount of time that will be required to transcribe a 30-minute audio file because people have different writing speeds. Also, the speed is dependent on the clarity of the audio.

Expert transcribers and those with a good foot pedal and headphones will do the work better than beginners and those without the tools. 

However, it should take an average of one hour to transcribe a 15 minute recorded file. If that is so, you may need up to two hours to fully transmit a 30-minute file. 

Where can I find the best transcription jobs?

Transcription jobs for beginners

1. Upwork 

Though Upwork is seen as a very competitive environment, it gives good opportunities for beginners and professionals to transcribe and earn well. 

The pay for this job varies and is dependent on the skill set you have, your experience, and the client you work for. You can also set your hourly rate.

They use different methods of payments including Payoneer, Instant pay, PayPal, U. S. Dollar Wire Transfer, etc., and you can withdraw your money immediately after you’ve finished the job.

Go here to create an account on Upwork.

2. TranscribeMe

TranscribeMe is one of those popular transcription sites that welcome beginners with no experience. To get jobs from them, you need to fill a form to sign up and pass their test. The test is pretty simple.

You can earn between $15 and $22 per audio hour, though you will be starting with 2 to 4 minutes audios. 

On average, a transcriptionist on this platform can earn up to $250 per month while the high earners can get up to $2,200 per month. They pay weekly via PayPal.

You can fetch some jobs from TranscribeMe here. 

3. Quicktate

This is a big transcription firm that has been known to work with companies like Coca-Cola, Allstate, CNN, etc. They are into the transcription of conference calls, voicemails, memos, medical and legal files, etc.

They accept beginners and open them up to learning more about the job. However, you will not earn much with this firm.

Quicktate pays one cent for every four words you transcribe correctly. They make their payment every Monday through PayPal.

To be hired by this firm, you need to pay $15 to apply and take the test. When you have passed, you will log into your account and start transcribing.

You can apply here to get started.

4. GMR Transcription

Working with GMR transcription is another way to gain experience as a beginner though intermediates can also join. They offer medical transcription jobs, legal transcription jobs, market research transcription jobs, and the rest.

There are limitless opportunities in this firm as it accepts to transcribe both in English and Spanish.

To join, you need to submit your resume to them and take a test. This test includes the transcription of an hour-long audio file each day.

If you pass the test and they accept you, they will contact you, but if you do not hear from them after two weeks, know that you have lost that opportunity.

5. Babble Type

This is a high-paying site that hires both beginners and professionals for transcription jobs in the USA. Their work is more than transcribing; they also hire editors to do the final polishing of their work. 

You can earn between $12 and $15 per hour of transcribing. Their pay is through PayPal. 

You can apply here to join their team as a transcriptionist.

6. Casting words

This site accepts transcriptionists (both beginners and professionals) from every part of the world and offers flexible working terms. So, you can choose to listen to the entire audio file before you start transcribing.

They pay through PayPal every Friday for every minute of audio you transcribed. 

To join the team, register here. You may be required to transcribe a small audio file as a test. After that, you wait on your dashboard to be allocated a transcription job.

7. Terescription

Are you a lover of entertainment and will you love to transcribe files from the entertainment industry? You can start up a transcription job for Terescription. 

They are open to hiring beginners, but they must type at least 70 words a minute. It is the best place to work if you have been searching for the best transcription jobs in the USA.

Though this site is mainly for transcription, they also hire professional writers to write for them.

To work with this company, you need to apply on their site, and they will send you an email with a sample file to transcribe. You need to follow the instructions provided in the email to transcribe the file and submit.

After that, they will go through the file and grade you. If you did well, you will start working with them and receive your payment via check.

8. 1-888-TypeItUp

This is another excellent site for people with no experience in transcription jobs. But the position is only open for people that have their transcription software.

If you want to do this job with 1-888-TypeItUp, you can get the transcription software, and you will be given a test. When you pass, you will be added and given some transcription jobs to do.

Their pay is pretty good as you will earn between $1 and $2 for each minute of audio you transcribe. Their payment is through PayPal, and you will receive it twice a month. 

Join the team here if you are interested in this site.

Best paying transcription jobs

9. Rev

If you want the best transcription jobs, I recommend you go for Rev. They are one of the highest paying companies with a monthly payment of $245 for beginners and $1,495 for professionals. 

This site is highly respected for its level of accuracy and professionalism. 

Though they offer the highest paying transcription jobs online, they are open to hiring beginners and most professional transcriptionists recommend the site for beginners.

The highly-appreciated thing about this site is that they have their in-house transcription editor software where you do the work, so you do not need to upload or download external software for their jobs.

They accept applications from transcriptionists all over the world. Apply here if you are willing to try.

10. Scribie

Scribie is another high-paying transcription firm that pays $200 to $300 per month to an average transcriptionist. They hire people with different skill levels and are open to taking beginners. 

However, you need to take a test from Scribie and pass, and become a qualified transcriptionist before working with them.

Their best transcription jobs are open to people both in and outside the U. S. and their payment is through PayPal.

Apply here to work with Scribie

11. SpeakWrite

Though this company only hires transcriptionists from the USA and Canada, they pay very well and offer the best transcription jobs out there. They specialize in transcribing legal, Spanish, and general audio files.

This company is known to pay its top transcriptionists up to $3000 per month, though others may earn a far lesser amount. On average, a transcriptionist earns 1.5 cents for each word they transcribe.

However, SpeakWrite does not just hire anyone. They look out for people with a typing speed of 60 words per minute with 90% accuracy and experience in advanced formatting features. 

To be hired, you need to apply and take the test where your writing speed, accuracy, and fluency will be tested. If you qualify and meet other requirements, you will be contacted to start work.

12. Averbach Transcription 

Transcriptionists earn $1.0 per audio minute for normal files and $1.50 per audio minute for rush transcription jobs. Their payment method is via PayPal. 

This site is committed to transcribing raw footage from interviews, TV shows, movies, and even recordings from focus groups. 

They only hire transcriptionists with at least two years of experience. But these transcriptionists have to take and pass their test before being hired. 

Visit Averbach Transcription to register and start getting jobs. 

13. Daily transcription

Daily transcriptionist offers best transcription jobs from different sectors including legal, academic, entertainment, and corporate sectors. 

This firm is the right place for beginners and professionals, though they only take transcriptionists in the U.S and Canada.

You can apply here if you are looking for the best transcription jobs in the USA.

Tips for choosing the best headphones for transcription jobs

There are different headphones in the market, but not all of them are suitable for transcription work. You need something that can block out the noise and help you hear every word spoken.

When your headphones are faulty or not up to standard, there is no way you can write with maximum speed. This will limit the amount you earn. 

So how do you choose the best headphone to make your work easy and comfortable? Let’s look at the factors to consider when choosing a headphone for transcription jobs. 

1. Budget 

You should consider this first before storming an electronic shop. How much do you have to spend on headphones? 

There are headphones of different types and specifications, and you will get something whether you have $50 or $500.

2. USB vs headphone Jack 

A standard 3.5m headphone Jack depends on the onboard sound card of your computer, and this can be a disadvantage if you are not using a desktop computer.

Desktop computers have better onboard sound cards than others because there is enough space for them to be fitted.

Using a USB headphone improves the quality of sound you get since it has its onboard soundcard and works better for transcription than the headphone Jack. 

3. Sound control 

You will need a headphone that gives more than just the standard level 10 volumes. Some headphones give room for more and even enable you to adjust the mini and stereo sound. You will find these headphones handy when working with some occasional files. 

4. Noise cancellation 

Since some of the best transcription jobs are done from home, you need a quiet place to work. But some people cannot have that quietness whenever they desire. This is where a good noise cancellation headphone comes in.

Some headphones can block out noise from the environment and make you hear the file you are listening to. However, they may have cost implications. The Bose headphones are amazing for transcription jobs as they cancel out noise.

You can go for earbuds if you do not have noise cancellation headphones handy. 

5. Weight

You will be using your headphones throughout your work, and this will be a very long time, so it is good for you to choose one that is lightweight. 

To know a lightweight headphone, hold it in one hand and maintain that position for ten minutes. Did your hands get heavy during that time?

That is what will happen if you use it on your head. A heavy headphone will add more weight to your head and make it less comfortable for you to work with; some may give you a neck strain.

If you cannot lay your hands on a lightweight headphone, use neckband headphones that will lie on your neck and reduce the weight applied to your head. 

6. Cord length

Not every transcriptionist appreciates a long headphone cord. It may hang on the chair caster, or you may just run over it. 

However, it can also stay in place when you adjust your position or bend over to pick a thing. 

Just know what you are comfortable with and go for that. 

Conclusion 

Transcription jobs are in high demand and you can earn a steady income from being a transcriptionist. You just need to have the right set of skills, know where to apply, and learn how to sell yourself. 

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