Can Anyone Become a Transcriptionist?

Working from home has many advantages, but it is really not for everyone. It not only requires fast typing skills, it requires self-discipline and above-average grammar and punctuation skills.

There's a lot of information floating around cyberspace claiming that anyone can become a transcriptionist; all you need are fast typing skills. This is so far from the truth. It kills me to read articles advertising general transcription as an easy work-at-home option. Those same articles don't even mention a need for grammar and punctuation skills. These articles are, in essence, duping unsuspecting people into believing it's easy to become a transcriptionist ... when it's not.

Before you quit your full-time job to work your dream job from home as a transcriptionist, do a quick self-assessment. If you're a social butterfly, you might not enjoy the isolation associated with working from home. Although I do believe that particular aspect of working on your own is more than offset by the time it affords you to be with the people you really want to be with: your family, friends, and other loved ones. However, if you're lacking in self-discipline, you might have a tendency to procrastinate and end up missing a deadline (a big no-no in my book), or staying up all night to meet a deadline (ugh!). Either way, you'll be unhappy, your client will be unhappy, and this work probably isn't a good fit for you.

Self Assessment

Ask yourself these six questions to self-assess whether working from home is a good fit:

1. Are you self-motivated and self-disciplined?
2. Do you have strong organizational and time management skills? 

3. Are you comfortable working alone?
4. Are you able to work independently with little to no supervision or feedback? 

5. Are you flexible to changing routines and deadlines? 

6. Do you have an appropriate work environment at home?

Ready for a career as a transcriptionist?

Check out the free Transcription Foundations mini-course to learn more about a career as a transcriptionist.