Contrary to popular belief that ‘anyone can type’, we view typists as highly skilled professionals who rely on their skills and experience to perform work of the highest quality.
What Skills Do I Need To Succeed As A Typing Contractor?
The skills we look for in applicants include:
Passion – You are passionate about what you do and take pride in the work you submit. At Sterling Transcription we aim to exceed expectations for all clients, so we look for typists who are eager to help us with this.
Communication – Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, are key. The ability to work independently is critical but so is knowing when to communicate any issues, particularly concerning client deadlines, in a timely and professional manner.
Language – Having a good grasp of the English language including spelling, grammar and punctuation is an essential skill. Understanding how different word choices can change the context and meaning conveyed by the speaker and excellent problem solving skills are paramount in establishing a successful career as a transcriber.
Management – Effective time management skills are important. The ability to independently meet deadlines whilst producing high quality transcripts plays an integral part in the success of running your own business.
Listening – Good listening and hearing acuity is crucial. You will receive audio files where the quality of the recording may be compromised, for example, due to background noise, low quality recording equipment, challenging accents or multiple speakers talking over each other.
Research – Confident internet research skills will assist in locating or confirming key terms and names. As part of providing quality transcripts, you are expected to research and confirm the spelling of any words with which you are unfamiliar. If you experience technical issues, you should also be confident troubleshooting via online research as your first point of call.
Computer literacy – You will be required to use word processing software and audio players, and to download, open and install various files and programs. Therefore, applicants should be comfortable using computers and different types of programs. The minimum typing speed requirement for medical typing is 60 words per minute with an accuracy level of 97%+, and the minimum typing speed requirement for research typing is 70 words per minute with an accuracy level of 97%+.
Other skills – A tertiary degree will be looked upon favourably. Excellent general knowledge, being widely read and keeping up to date with current issues will assist you in becoming a highly successful typing contractor.
In addition to all of the above, you need to genuinely enjoy typing.