Once the decision has been made to start a home-based transcription business and a home office has been set up with necessary transcription equipment, the next step is to seek out transcription work. To the new transcriptionist, finding transcription jobs can seem like an overwhelming task. Utilizing online resources to find transcription work can simplify this process.
Use Search Engines to Find Transcription Work
Transcription companies typically advertise on their own websites when they're seeking transcriptionists. How can these company websites be found? Using search engines such as Google and Yahoo with simple keyword phrases such as "legal transcription" or "general transcription" will yield hundreds, if not thousands, of transcription company websites that can then be searched for work opportunities.
If a transcriptionist is specifically seeking court-related transcription work, another useful keyphrase to use when searching is "court reporters" since many court reporters outsource their transcription work to freelance transcriptionists.
Participate in Transcription Message Boards and Online Groups
Not only do transcription message boards and online groups offer leads for transcription work, these forums are also a great way to stay on top of the latest news in the industry, learn helpful tips to make jobs easier and save time, and also to interact and network with other transcriptionists who may also offer work to new transcriptionists. A popular message board and resource for medical transcriptionists is MTDaily, and specifically targeted to medical, general, and legal transcriptionists, TranscriptionEssentials.com provides a forum for transcriptionists of all backgrounds. While WAHM.com is a site geared towards helping moms work from home, the site also offers a forum for transcriptionists to share job leads, transcription tips, tricks, and advice.
Seek Out Online Advertisements
There are many places online, both free and fee-based, where transcription job leads are posted. While not specifically designed just for transcription job leads, Craigslist does permit advertising of home-based transcription jobs. By searching the Job and Gig listings and using the qualifiers Telecommute and/or Contract, there are many transcription job leads to be had. Guru and Elance are both freelance bidding sites that are also used by companies and individuals to list their transcription job openings and can be used by transcriptionists to find transcription work.
While using online resources such as search engines and message boards are simple methods of finding transcription jobs, the competition online is fierce since there are likely to be hundreds of transcriptionists seeking to land the same contract. To increase their odds of procuring a contract, transcriptionists should make sure whatever method they use to apply, whether it be a résumé or brochure, should be professional in appearance and organization, up-to-date, and error free.
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