Transcriptionist Karen O’Brien gives her answers to our questions below, including some information about her personal situation and perspective regarding the transcription profession.

Her company, The KanDo Organization LLC, is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the heart of the U.S.A.  Because Karen works virtually, she has clients throughout the U.S. and from Belgium and Spain.

So let’s find out a little more about Karen, shall we?

How long have you been a transcriptionist?

Over 15 years.

That’s a long time.  Karen, what type of transcription is your specialty?  Favorite?  Least favorite?

I enjoy one-on-one interviews, especially for authors and insurance adjusters, as well as legal projects for court reporters.  In addition, I also like to do post-production closed captioning.  Least favorite?  I would say that my least favorite is verbatim transcription with timestamping.

RELATED:  Timestamping.

About how many hours a week do you work transcribing audio?

I am the sole caretaker for my husband who has Alzheimer’s, and I also do a lot of other things, including virtual assistant work; therefore, I am able to devote around 15-20 hours per week working as a transcriptionist.

Do you presently work for a company as an employee or as an independent contractor?

The majority of my transcription work is performed as an independent contractor, which means that I procure my own clients.  Of course, I always enjoy the opportunity to meet and engage with prospective customers, which often leads to long-term working relationships.  In addition, I also subcontract with various agencies and accept temporary assignments from them, which I feel adds to my skill set and widens my opportunities.

Can you tell us a little about your background before becoming a transcriptionist and what led you to begin transcribing as a career?

I love legal work and was employed in a law office.  While I was working there, I bought two cassette transcription machines (a standard size and a microcassette) and began moonlighting by typing from home part time.

What do you foresee as the future for the transcription profession?

I would classify it as in transition.

I recently interrupted a conversation between two young men who were discussing the software available for transcription.  They were of the opinion that it would be more efficient.

Then I offered them my perspective of the current offerings and put in my 2 cents about the need to have everything proofread (and often re-typed) when those options are chosen.

Of course, I don’t know if that made any difference to them, but I interpreted their conversation as a “sign of the times.”

Do you believe that any training is necessary for general transcription? What about for legal transcription?

Maybe no formal training for general. But for legal, it is much easier if a person has some experience in law.

I am often contacted by people who believe they are able to “just type” from the audio on their phone, and then discover that there’s a lot more to transcription than just typing fast.

RELATED:  Legal Transcription.

I believe it takes someone with a broad background in life and business to be able to catch the nuances of the spoken word in order to produce an accurate document.

Also good research skills.

Those research skills are definitely needed so that those things that are unfamiliar are quickly and correctly included in the final product.

Do you have a little story to share with us in terms of a huge success or maybe even an epic fail or a lesson learned? Or some of your challenges?

I’ve worked for a variety of clients, some who have a concept of what CLEAR audio is as opposed to “I can understand what’s being said” in a restaurant or noisy background, group meeting or with misplaced microphones.

One file I was asked to do was of a meeting of six people around a table with the microphone next to a guy who was continually tapping his pen on the table.  In addition, he was really close to the microphone as he spoke.  In a word, the variance in volume was a challenge.

Karen, if you had a word of advice for someone considering transcription, what would you tell them?

• It’s not an easy job.
• Proper transcription takes good concentration and excellent listening skills.
• Long periods of sitting in one place and focusing are also required.
• No two audios are alike; some are more difficult than others.
• Some assignments require a fast turnaround that demands a super-human effort for a short period.
• There are transcription staffing companies that advertise low fees and only pay the transcriptionist half that.
• As a result, very low payouts are paid to the person who actually does the work.

That said, those companies are in business to make money too.  Of course, an experienced transcriptionist can usually turn around the work faster and more accurately than a beginner.

However, I believe the transcriptionist should be compensated appropriately.

If a person wants to jump into the field, I suggest they first attempt to transcribe a podcast interview. Those cover a variety of issues, overspeaking, trying to figure out who is speaking, the acronyms used by those who are in that field, etc.  As a result, a good perspective becomes more clear as to whether transcription is really a good career choice for them.

RELATED:  Transcribing Podcasts.

Thanks!

Our sincerest thanks to Karen for sharing with us!  Be sure to check out her LinkedIn profile for more information or to get in touch with her!

Conclusion …

Since Karen mentions it, if you have an interest in learning how to transcribe a podcast, it so happens that Learn to Transcribe™ offers a course in podcast transcription for only $20.  And, yes, we agree with Karen that podcast transcription is an excellent beginning point for a transcriptionist.

It’s important to know if transcription is a good fit as your work-from-home career before you dive in.  Consequently, you won’t waste your time and money if it’s not your cup of tea, right?

NEED MORE INFO?  Check out Our Frequently Asked Questions.

Comments?  Feel free to leave yours below.