TranscribeMe — Beginner Transcriber Review 2021
TranscribeMe is a rounded agency with a lot of advanced options to offer to help move you up the career ladder.
TranscribeMe — Review
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OVERVIEW
If you’re looking for a job as an online or remote transcriber then finding the right agency to start with should be your number one concern. Which agency you work for will decide what transcription jobs you get, your working hours, and how much you get paid for each job.
There are plenty of transcription agencies out there. Each with its own pros, cons, benefits, and drawbacks which will suit one type of transcriber over another. TranscribeMe could be your next career move, keep reading…
TranscribeMe is a well-rounded general transcription agency that wants to help online freelancers (like yourself) as much as they can. They have plenty of resources to get you started with TranscribeMe and are always on hand if you need them.
These guys are ideal to get started with as a new remote transcriptionist. They really help you develop your skills, move up the ladder, and give you support in every way.
TranscribeMe is a long-standing transcription job/agency that is ideal for part-time (experienced) transcribers who are looking for reliable workloads without the competition in a safe working environment.
TranscribeMe rates may be on the lower side per an audio minute transcribed, but their overall earnings are sky-high. (One of the highest at $2,200 for their top transcribers per month).
TranscribeMe believes in working with you to maximise your career and make you the best transcriber possible. They have a ‘grow and learn’ policy where they hire and promote the transcribers within their company above anybody else.
TranscribeMe also provides expert training with their ‘initiative program’ which officially makes them a leading work-from-home employer.
If you are a part-time remote transcriber looking for a home as a transcriber, then TranscribeMe may be for you…
HOW TO GET STARTED
To start working with TranscribeMe we recommend checking over their resources page first. This will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about them. You can check out their resources page here
After you have scanned over their resources you can then start applying. To apply for a transcription job at TranscribeMe you can click here.
You will first be asked to create an account, enter your details, and be given some information to read over.
Then you will have to complete a sample piece and also take an online exam which will cover some multiple-choice questions regarding grammar, spelling, and general English typing skills.
Before you dive into the application process TranscribeMe has provided a range of resources, information, FAQ, and more for you to scan over and understand to give you the best chances of being accepted as a transcriber.
The resources are mainly articles that cover a broad range of subjects. Each subject is broken down into another sub-set for your viewing ease. They contain the following:
Application Requirements:
TranscribeMe 101
Registration Prerequisites
Is there an age limit?
Which countries do you hire from?
Is photo ID required?
Does TM provide a training program?
Is there a required typing speed?
Do I need prior experience to join?
Required Equipment:
Can I transcribe from my phone?
Can I use a foot pedal?
Can I use a screen reader?
English Entrance Exam:
Style Guide and English Entrance Exam Instructions
Do I have a set amount of time to take the exam after registering?
Does TM provide a training program?
How long does the exam take?
Can I save the exam to finish later?
How many times can I take the exam?
Can I go back to a previous question/section of the exam?
Do you have a practice exam?
I passed the exam! When will I be activated?
Entrance Exam says “not available”?
These documents/articles will have everything you need to know about the TranscribeMe application process. Scan over the ones you’re most curious about and then you can start your application here.
As reported by multiple reviews left on Glassdoor and Indeed, there are three sections of the application process. The first section is a simple question-based test which is usually very short and easy. The second section is a 15-minute audio piece(s) that you have to transcribe accurately with over 97% accuracy. The third section is a questionnaire 10 questions long on the guidelines (which you can refer back to). This section needs to be completed with 100% accuracy.
TranscribeMe have so many transcribers wanting to work for them that they actually have to reject a lot of applications. Sadly if your transcription sample score isn’t above 97% then the likelihood of you getting a placement right now isn’t feasible. Luckily you can use the style guidelines and all of their resources to ensure you reach 100% accuracy.
After submitting the audio samples and the questions you are then required to wait (around 1 day) for someone at Transcribeme to get back to you. When they do they will tell you your scores and if you passed/failed.
We wish you the best of luck for this application process, as out of any of the transcription agencies TranscribeMe has been reported to be the hardest. Absolute perfection needs to be scored — hence why we recommend transcribers who are looking for part-time transcription work from home jobs that already have a handful of experience work here.
If you are comfortable becoming a complete freelancer, then this may be a better-suited option for you.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
TranscribeMe also has some incredible culture and management reviews from the majority of its freelancers.
With 88% of freelance reviewers approving of the CEO and 65% of the reviewers would recommend working at TranscribeMe. In the transcription world, these are high approval ratings.
The overwhelming majority of reviews are 5 stars showing how incredibly looked after their freelancing staff truly are.
You can check out their Glassdoor reviews here and you can check out their Indeed reviews here too!
TranscribeMe seems to be a great company to dip your toes into as a first-time online transcriber.
TranscribeMe has some relatively high reviews, especially ‘approval of CEO’ which is the second-highest on this list (at time of writing).
88% of freelance reviewers approve of the CEO and 65% of the reviewers would recommend working at TranscribeMe. In the transcription world, these are high approval ratings.
The overall rating on Glassdoor from ex-transcribers is 3.7/5. This is 0.1 less than Rev, and 0.3 less than GoTranscript. Showing their company culture isn’t the best but they’re not far off at all.
We believe the overwhelming majority of low scores may be transcribers who got rejected from their transcription program, and thus took their anger out in the reviews. We couldn’t find many bad reviews from transcribers who actually work there. The majority we’re from transcribers who didn’t make it onboard. So please take these scores with a grain of salt.
You can use their resources and guides to help you through the application process and also in your day to day working practice. Having these on hand guides will really help you to understand what TranscribeMe are looking for in your daily transcription work. It can also be used as a safety net in case you forget something, or if you need to scan over your work for errors before you finally submit it.
Overall we believe that TranscribeMe offers an enjoyable and progressive environment ideal for a part-time transcriber who has experience but wants to progress even further. TranscribeMe has a great support and working hub that provide resources and promotions to make your transcription career the best it can be!
PAY
TranscribeMe pay isn’t the highest, but you are still able to make some very good money from the transcription work.
With no minimum hour work weeks, 24/7 availability/support, and a bunch of career development options you can quickly climb the ladder.
TranscribeMe pays between $15 — $22 per hour of audio transcription length. The highest-paid transcriber at TranscribeMe is paid $2,200 per month.
For clarification, Rev pays around $24 per hour of audio transcription.
If you want to increase your transcription earnings then you can use Spread to increase your speed, error correction time, turnaround time, and have fewer headaches. Speed = money.
TranscribeMe’s rates aren’t the highest at all. We’re not going to kid you here. But, their top transcribers do earn a lot of money (just as much as Rev’s top earners).
Per an hour of audio transcribed, TranscribeMe will pay you between $15 — $22. Per a minute this works out to be $0.25 — $0.36. Which is a lot lower than the other transcription agencies on this list (hence why TranscribeMe are much lower down).
However, their top earners bring in around $2,200 per month. Which is actually one of the highest out of all the transcription agencies. We thought this might just be a one-off claim, but the average transcriber earnings at TranscribeMe are also higher than at GoTranscript.
TranscribeMe average earnings are $250 per month, whereas GoTranscript average earnings are $150 per month.
We believe the average earnings at TranscribeMe are higher (despite their low pay rate) due to TranscribeMe only accepting a small percentage of applicants who are most experienced. Therefore these few transcribers have an average higher earnings than GoTranscript.
However, if you are an experienced transcriber, then Rev or GoTranscript may be a better option to earn higher with.
BIGGEST PRO
TranscribeMe is perfect for newcomers who want to dip their toes in.
They offer a bunch of support and also allow you to start with transcribing short 2–4 minute videos, instead of the hour-long transcription pieces Rev and GoTranscript almost force you to do. This approach allows you to get comfortable with transcription in a much smoother fashion.
TranscribeMe’s resource base is ideal for a new transcriber to use to dip their toes into transcription and learn all of the basic fundamentals so they can complete any job.
TranscribeMe also allows their transcribers to pick and choose a lot. Such as their time, minimum work hours, and even the length of the audio recordings they complete. Most agencies have recordings that are 60+ minutes long, which seems overly daunting as a new transcriber. Luckily for you, TranscribeMe has an array of 5-minute audio clips you can start with enabling you to start transcribing without taking on the worlds biggest audio piece…
Their built-in intuitive program and ‘grown and learn’ policy is perfect for a semi-experienced transcriber to come in and shoot their career forward faster and higher than ever before. If you really want to develop the skills to progress your career then TranscribeMe claims to be the ones who will help you the most.
BIGGEST CON
TranscribeMe is one of the lowest-paying transcription agencies out there. However, if you are a good transcriber then you can still earn plenty with TranscribeMe — and they aren’t as harsh on you for errors.
TranscribeMe’s pay rate is so low relative to other transcription agencies, especially considering how highly experienced and skilled in transcription you have to be to even get into the agency itself.
The pay of $15 — $22 per hour is extremely low. However, this may be more than sufficient for a part-time transcriber with little time and expenses.
RECOMMENDATION
TranscribeMe is a 3/5 for general transcribers.
However, they are a 5/5 for new transcribers looking to start their career working remotely from home online.
TranscribeMe is ideal to get started with, especially if you have been rejected or put off by Rev and their strict rules.
TranscribeMe has a great culture and is truly for you. They want the best from and for you.
For experienced transcribers who are looking for more workloads and higher pay then these two transcription agencies may be better suited for you:
Rev Transcription Agency Review 2021
GoTranscript Transcription Agency Review 2021
Originally published at https://transcription-jobs.com.
