Things Spell Check Doesn't Pick Up

We've talked in the past about different methods for proofing finished transcripts – whether it's a full proof to audio, a quick read-through or simply using spell check. It's important to follow your client or contract's requirements, but for those that only ask for a spell check, there are a couple of things that you should watch for besides common mistakes like "their" instead of "there" (Word 2007 actually does an amazing job of picking up improper usage of words such as those, though):

::Single letters. If you accidentally mistype a word, separating one letter from the rest, such as "that" as "t hat", Word will not flag "t" as a mispelled word. In this case, "hat" is also a recognizable word, so spell check would skip right over it.

::Sentence case following a colon. If your transcript style calls for speaker tags that contain a colon (Mandi:), Word will not check the first word of the sentences following the colon for proper capitalization, so it's important to pay extra attention to these.

::Words written in all caps or that contain numbers. I would suggest checking your spell check options to be sure that Word checks words in all caps as well as those that contain numbers rather than automatically skipping over them. Even though you'll have to manually "ignore" many of them, it's better to quickly review them than to miss a misspelling because it wasn't flagged.

Are there other things you've noticed that Word doesn't flag that you wish it would?

State of the Transcription Industry

January is typically a slow month for transcription, but in light of the current economy, I think we've all noticed a considerable slowing overall. As companies are taking drastic measures to cut back costs, transcripts may be eliminated altogether or at the very least outsourced to other countries where they can be produced for pennies on the dollar versus what an American-based company can offer. Thus it is more important than ever that we take the time to ensure that the transcripts we are producing meet the exact standards of our contracts or clients.

Just a few things that you'll want to pay extra attention to in these difficult times:

Quality – Review your client or contract's standards and adhere to them as closely as possible. If you have questions, ASK. I find it very disconcerting when people are embarrassed to ask questions, but you appear far more foolish when you just forge ahead heading totally down the wrong path. That said, there's a fine line between hand-holding and taking some kind of ownership, but if you've read instructions several times and still are unsure, you should be safe to inquire for clarification. Obviously taking the time to proofread your transcripts would fall in this area as well.

Timeliness – Meeting deadlines is always important. However, in the even that you're going to be late communication is key. Mandi provided us with some important tips on handling missed deadlines earlier this week, and I would encourage you to look those over if you have not already.

Confidentiality – Confidentiality pertains to not only keeping information regarding your contract confidential (e.g., clients, rates, volume, etc.) but also maintaining confidentiality surrounding the content of a particular audio file.

Professionalism - You could make the case that all of the previous points fall under professionalism, and they do. However, I'm talking about overall professionalism in everything you do, in your communication, in your invoicing, as well as quality, timeliness, and confidentiality. You want to stand out from the pack in this tough economy, so keep this in mind at all times.

With more people out of work, as well as cutbacks and outsourcing becoming more frequent alternatives, the competition will be fierce. Using the tips above will go a long way towards keeping the work coming in.

Handling Missed Deadlines

I think it's safe to say that anyone who's been transcribing for any length of time has had the experience of missing a deadline at least once. Whether it's because you oversleep and lose valuable work time, end up with a sick child to take care of or realize your audio sounds like it's been run through the blender and will take twice as long as you thought, it's bound to happen at some point.

The question is what to do when it happens.

The most important thing to remember is that communication is key! Whether you're working directly with a client or contracting for a larger transcription company, it's important to conduct yourself as a professional and keep them updated at all times.

Once you realize that you're going to be late, drop them a note and let them know that you'll be late and give them an estimate for completion.

It is not necessary to launch into a detailed account of why you'll be late, but if you have a good relationship with your contact, I think it's okay to include a sentence about the why. I know there's debate about this, and I'm not sure there is a right answer, but an account representative I asked said that she only needs to know the why if the issue has to do with the file or something on her end.

Finally, once you know you're going to be late and have sent an email letting your contact know when to expect the transcript, make sure you hit that deadline!

Professionalism in Action

I guess my topic for the week is professionalism! I didn't intend this starting out, but it kind of seemed fitting that I continue with the subject given the way the events surrounding the rush file I accepted last night unfolded.

I found myself with a bit of a dilemma late (and I do mean late) last night when I started a rush file that was due this morning and found that from about the 7-minute mark on was completely blank. It was nearly 1:00 a.m., and I felt like it was too late to call my contact.

I was faced with a decision to make. I could just send my contact an email detailing the issue and wait for a response in the morning, which normally would have been a perfectly valid response, or I could take what I consider the more professional and responsible route and see what I could do to correct the situation given that I had some necessary tools at my disposal.

I had been given a link to the webcast of the presentation to fill in the beginning of the transcript where the recording had been cut off. I decided that I could just rerecord the file in its entirety using Total Recorder and pick up where the original file was blank. So to make a long story short, that's the route I took. I was still slightly late with the file because it took a LONG time to transfer over to my new laptop, but it was still much more timely than if I had waited for my contact to receive my email and get me a new copy of the file.

So going back the the "Are You A Professional" article that I wrote about earlier this week, I feel like this series of events falls under the "A professional persists until the objective is achieved. An amateur gives up at the first opportunity," category. Oh, and the real kicker is the title of the audio I was working on was "Working Through Crisis." How's that for ironic?

How would you have handled a situation such as this?

Accepting Constructive Criticism

I realize that we're self-employed in this business, and you may have thought you'd be avoiding annual reviews and being told what you're doing wrong. Unfortunately, you will probably have more criticism and comments on your work in this business than working for someone just because you're working for so many people, and different people are looking for different things.

Having someone tell you you're doing something wrong is never easy. However, it is important to remember in this business that there are fine lines, and if your contract or client prefers things be done a different way, then doing things that way is probably in your best interest if you appreciate the income they provide. Whether you agree with the criticism or not, it is always important to make sure you let your contact know you're willing to work with them to get to where they're happy with the transcript you are providing for them. If you really disagree or have questions with some things, perhaps consider asking for clarification so you can fix that for next time.

One of the benefits of being self-employed is not having a boss, but you still have clients you are looking to for payment for your services from. While you may not prefer the way a client has you typing numbers, for example, or dealing with a cleaned up transcript versus full verbatim, it is their opinion that ultimately provides your paycheck. Still, if you find that working with a particular client or company just doesn't work for you, it's always okay to find that income elsewhere. That IS one of the benefits of self-employment. You do have the option of finding different sources of income.

If you are looking to completely sever a relationship with a personal client, perhaps suggesting someone else in the industry you think would be a better fit for them is an option. If not, try to leave on good terms. You never know when that contact will come in handy in the future. Perhaps they'll refer you to someone that will increase your earnings substantially, or maybe they know other people in the industry and you just want your reputation to remain in tact.

All of this is part of being a professional. Read Tara's post and the list on being a professional. Ask yourself if you are one and how you can adjust to make sure the way you come across to your clients and contracts is in a professional manner.

Are You A Professional?

If you've been following our blog for any length of time you'll know that this is not the first time we've written on the importance of professionalism. While it's a crucial skill in any career, it seems to be one of the first things to fall to the wayside when working from home. As such, you can be assured that this probably won't be last time we write about it either.

However, the reason that I wanted to broach the topic again today is this great article called "Are You A Professional?" from TipsForSuccess.org. Actually, I'm not even sure I'd call it an article per se. It's more like a series of mantras for those of us who strive to use professionalism in our careers on a daily basis.

Now, these are pretty lofty goals. I have my doubts as to whether there is any person out there that adheres to all of these points at all times, but I'm a firm believer that we're always a work in progress. The most important thing is to recognize which areas you have shortcomings in and work on improving them. Of course while doing this you also need to maintain the areas that you are already are strong in.

I know that one of the areas that I need work on is "A professional keeps his or her work area clean and orderly. An amateur has a messy, confused or dirty work area." With five kids, I find it very difficult to stay on top of the housework and balance my work time for transcription. Usually the housework is the first thing to fall to the wayside when I'm under a deadline. I know this has a negative effect because I'm constantly distracted by the chaos around me when I'm working. The distractions usually lead to my work taking even longer, so I need to come up with an action plan on how keep the housework more current while meeting my transcription deadlines . . . short of hiring a maid or locking my kids out of the house all day!

So take a few minutes to read through the list, and then we'd love to hear your thoughts. Are you a professional? And if you'd like to share with us what areas you feel you need improvement in, perhaps we can offer each other some tips on bettering ourselves!

Marking Inaudibles and Phonetic Words and Phrases When Transcribing

Chances are that each contract or client you work for has their own ways of handling inaudible or phonetic spellings.

You might mark inaudible in any one of the following ways:

• ________
• (inaudible)
• [inaudible]
• (unintelligible)
• [indiscernible]

On the other hand, sometimes you might come across words that you are unsure how to spell or that you can only guess what the speaker says. If you're unable to confirm the correct spelling, most companies and clients will ask that you mark the spelling as phonetic. There are several ways to do this as well:

• Highlight the text
• Change the color of the text
• Enclose the text in brackets
• Follow the text with [ph]

In both of these situations, you'll want to follow the preferences of the person requesting the transcript. If they do not have a preference, it's important to be consistent throughout your transcript regardless of the way you choose to do it.

Another important thing to remember is that many companies and clients want to know if there is an excessive number of inaudibles in the text so that they can decide whether you should continue or not. It's a good idea to establish upfront what their guidelines are for sending a sample, especially for files with shorter turnaround times (TATs) or rush delivery.

The Importance of Communication

One very crucial thing to remember with any job is the importance of communication. I think in our industry it is doubly important to be in contact with the clients and companies that you work for, especially when you are working on a job for them.

If you were in an office and things were going poorly because your computer was acting funny, there was construction going on in the parking lot making it impossible to work, or you received a call from school saying you had to go pick up your sick child your boss or supervisor would be there to see what was going on and make adjustments as necessary to complete the work. The same situations arise in a work-at-home position; however, there is no one staring over your shoulder to see what's going on. Sometimes it's those pluses about the job that we love so much – my two-year-old stares over the top of my keyboard tray, but no one is standing over my shoulder – that we need to be careful not to take advantage of.

When contracts and clients hand audio files over to you, they expect them to be returned on the agreed upon time. They do not know what difficulties there may be in the file itself or in the physical world around you that cause things to take longer than expected. It is imperative that these be conveyed to your client as soon as possible to maintain a level of trust and professionalism with them.

In the case of unforeseen problems in your personal life (i.e. sickness, power outages, runaway animals you're chasing after) you should tell your contact right away. You never know what the reaction is going to be. If you give them enough time they may be able to extend deadlines, split the job or find someone else to complete it if you are unable. However, the longer you wait to let them know there is an issue, the harder it is for these things to happen seamlessly.

If your file has audio issues that need to be addressed, the same is true. Letting people know early is always better so the original client knows the quality of the product that will be delivered to them. Oftentimes you can also raise the rate yourself for difficult audio or a client may offer one to you for audio issues.

It doesn't matter if you are contracting with transcription companies or dealing directly with your own personal clients, communication is a key ingredient to a professional relationship. Be sure to convey the status and any issues that come up with files that may affect the deadline or quality as they arise. This will keep the relationship in good standing.

Professionalism When Discussing Rates

Last week, we talked about some of the factors that contribute to rates on files, specifically when contracting with transcription companies. This week, I want to talk about the flip side.

As professionals – which we are – it is important that we maintain a level of integrity so that our contracts know they can trust us. In my experience, this leads to more easily being able to ask for an increased rate on a file because they trust that you wouldn't be asking if it didn't deserve it.

For example:

• You have an 82-minute file. There's 12 minutes of silence at the end. What do you do?



• You receive a file that indicates that there are 5 speakers and includes an increased rate for that reason. However, two of the speakers simply introduce themselves at the beginning, never to be heard from again. What do you do?



• You ask for an increased rate on a file because of poor audio but once you get started you realize that you were wrong and the voices are clear. What do you do?

We come across countless situations like this as transcriptionists, and it's important that you determine to maintain your professionalism and integrity, even if it means sacrificing $10 or $20.

I'd love to hear from you on this subject as well. Have you had any situations like this? How did you handle it? Is this something you hadn't thought of before?

Juggling Multiple Contracts

Holding multiple contracts is important to being able to weather the inevitable slow periods in the transcription industry. It's not often that all companies endure a slow period at the same time (except possibly around the holiday season), so by being able to request work from more than one source, you can hopefully avoid unexpected fluctuations in your income.

Juggling multiple contracts can be tricky though. I've held as many as six contracts at one time, but I found that I was stretched too thin. I've whittled my way back to three that work best for me as far as pay, scheduling, and type of work offered, and this seems to be working out very well.

How many contracts you can successfully hold down is ultimately a personal choice and can probably only be achieved through trial and error. It took me close to a year to find a mix that worked well, and I still tweak it from time to time as my priorities and needs change.

You may find that certain companies are just not a good fit for you because of their turnaround times or the transcript style they use (I personally detest strict verbatim work), and that's okay. Don't be afraid to cancel a contract that isn't working out. However, do be sure to do it in a courteous and professional manner. Burned bridges can come back to haunt you just as much in the virtual world as they can when working brick-and-mortar positions!

One final note about holding multiple contracts is to make sure that there aren't any conflicts of interest between companies. For example, we've mentioned in the past that companies that transcribe financial earnings calls for Thomson may preclude you from holding a contract with a company that transcribes them for CallStreet. Do your due diligence!

This site is a much more valuable resource when readers share their input. If you've been working in the transcription industry for a while, what are some tips you have on juggling multiple contracts?

Common Courtesies When Taking Time Off

We've addressed professionalism with contracts in the past, but this is an important topic that we felt should be discussed again, especially with many people still taking time off with vacations, back to school, and the holidays looming in the very near future.

I was shocked a few months ago when someone mentioned on a transcription forum that she didn't feel like she needed to give any notice when she took some time off for a vacation. While I can understand the perspective that we are independent contractors and have no obligation to accept work from our contracts at any given time, I still hold the personal belief that the same common courtesies that we would afford our employers in a brick-and-mortar job should be extended to our transcription contracts. After all, they still have workloads to plan and deadlines to meet even as we're off sunning ourselves on a beach.

To this effect, I would encourage you to take the following steps if you are not going to be accepting work for an extended period of time.

• Give your contact some advance notice of your plans. I'd say a week before you're leaving is sufficient, but I usually mention it sooner and follow up with a reminder about a week before.



• Set up an autoresponse on your email noting that you are out of the office. Keeping in mind that your contact may be dealing with hundreds of independent contractors, and he or she may forget you're out, even if you've reminded them recently. It happens to the best of us! Just to cover all your bases, configure your email to respond to incoming messages with a note detailing that you're out of the office, whether you will be checking email, and when you will return.



• Email your contacts upon your return with your availability. If you're a little slow getting back into a usual routine just say that, but communication is key. I'm usually not ready to jump back in full time immediately, so I'll state that I'm available for shorter files and should have increasing availability as the week goes on.

No, none of this is brain surgery, but as business owners (which is essentially what an independent contractor is), keeping the lines of communication open with your contracts in such a manner will certainly keep you in high regard.

It's a Holiday! Are You Working?

For those of us in the United States it's a holiday today, which always gets me wondering how other transcriptionists deal with those random holidays that seem to pop up here and there.

I've found that holidays are generally handled by companies in a variety of ways. Some companies recognize these days by not having office hours on specific holidays. (Ah, the benefits of a brick and mortar.) Usually work will be assigned for the next work day. Other companies simply ignore the fact that there are holidays at all. Instead, they plow right on through as if they don't exist, scheduling work for those days. Still others will observe the holiday by offering bonuses or higher rates for work that needs to be turned in over the holiday. If you have your own clients the way a holiday works is going to have to be a mutual understanding regarding your ability during that time period. You can tell your clients whether you'll be in or out that day and when they can expect to have their work completed accordingly.

As a self-employed business owner, independent contractor, freelancer, amazing individual with the ability to multi-task and self-motivate like none other you ultimately get to choose how you handle the holidays. There are many things that may determine how you choose to balance work and play including financial obligations, family activities, pressure from companies, extra pay or that favorite client you just can't say no to. Some of the brick-and-mortar benefits don't translate into self-employment; one that I most certainly miss is paid vacation.

As a courtesy, it is always good to remind clients and contracts if you will be taking some time off over the holiday. It adds a level of professionalism and shows the you take your job seriously. Letting them know in advance will communicate you care not only about yourself, but about their business as well.

One thing to keep in mind is making sure you don't overextend yourself over holidays. You don't want to be the one up at 2:00 a.m. finishing work the night after Christmas while everyone else is tucked into their beds, full of cookies and looking forward to the New Year. You also don't want to be the one left behind for that family picnic because you have to stay and work due to a file taking longer than it should or your inability to say no.

Of course, you may be one who likes to take the bonus files and work while everyone else is doing their holiday activity. Perhaps your idea of a day off is saving up for a two-week vacation in Europe or taking a day off to go visit your local museum in the middle of a weekday when no one else is there.

Whatever you decide to do when facing the holiday question remember that you are your own boss, so the benefits and consequences are yours and yours alone. Be responsible, be professional, but always take the time to relax and have fun.

Sanity Savers During Stressful Times

Whether you work at home or in an office, the stresses of balancing work and personal life can be overwhelming at times. Being tired, malnourished or unprepared only contribute to feelings of not being able to handle everything that we face.

I know that for me personally, when I'm tired, I crave sugar. Eating sugar leaves me more tired and emotional, and I get stuck in a cycle that inevitably leads to a meltdown. On the other hand, eating a healthy balanced breakfast and lunch and drinking plenty of water during the day helps keep my energy up even when I'm sleep-deprived. Because of this, I'm able to complete my work faster as well.

This article from Lolita Carrico at Modern Mom includes five more Sanity Savers for busy working moms, but many of them are useful for anyone. They include preparing the night before, eating healthy snacks, one hand wonders, power naps and in-home spa treatments.

Above all, it's important to realize that sometimes you simply can't do it all. While some things on your task list may be urgent, others may be more important. Eliminating the unnecessary items and delaying those that can be delayed until a less stressful time is okay. No one can do everything!

Mind Tools offers many great articles and resources for time management as well as stress management (not to mention some of their other great resources). However, finding a system that works for you is an important part of dealing with the stresses of life, so if these tools don't appeal to you, keep looking for one that does!

Do you have any stress management tips or resources that help you maintain balance?

A Transcriptionist's Mentality

Probably the most prevalent misconception about transcription is that you're "just typing." Therefore the only skill you really need is the ability to type fast. As Mandi mentioned some time back, typing is actually one of the least important skills. A good transcriptionist has excellent grammar skills, the ability to research effectively, is generally well read and interested in current events, and lastly has the ability to type at an average or slightly above average pace. The ability to type like the wind will in no way make up for being sorely lacking in the other areas.

Above all else, however, is one final skill, and this is probably the most difficult to teach someone. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, and I've often wondered if this is the case in regards to this mentality when it comes to transcription. The skill that I'm speaking of is the ability to be "always on" while transcribing. By that I mean that you're constantly applying critical thinking to what you're typing to ensure that it makes sense in the context of the entire transcript, that you've researched everything that could possibly need to be researched, and that you're consistent in your grammar and style from beginning to end.

It takes an incredible amount of discipline to do this, and even the most diligent transcriptionist will probably slack off from time to time. This is why it's important to leave yourself enough time to review your work before submitting it. Overall consistency is key here, however, and in doing so, you will be a standout with your clients or contracts. Believe me when I say you will be noticed for your efforts, and they will pay off handsomely.

The more I think about it, I believe that this can be a learned skill. If you are goal-oriented and a high achiever, I'm sure you are well on your way to honing this skill. The interesting thing that just occurred to me is that, for the most part, if you're a regular reader of this blog I'm probably preaching to the choir. The people that really need to hear this message probably would never take the time to broaden their skill set by seeking out the type of information we try to provide. So kudos to you for having a transcriptionist's mentality!

Getting Started – Testing Tips

Hopefully you've used Shaina's super advice to write up a stellar résumé and an attention-getting cover letter and now have transcription companies banging down your door to contract with them. Okay, so maybe you just received a nice email from one inquiring if you'd like to test. Either way, I've got some great tips to help you put your best foot forward and turn in the best test you possibly can.

1.) Be professional in all communications with the company. This means using complete sentences in correspondence, no shorthand IM speak, using a closing, and so forth. If you have any questions about the testing process, it's best to communicate directly with the company. Companies do frequent message boards, and no matter how secure you feel that you can't be identified, you're probably not as anonymous as you think, so asking questions on them is not acceptable. If you feel like you won't be able to complete the test after all or within the specified time frame, it is common courtesy to notify them of this.

2.) Before starting your test, read the testing email and any documents regarding the testing thoroughly. It helps to become familiar with the style guide (if they provide one) and any templates before starting to type. If you are provided with a template, I would recommend that you save it as a new file and use it to type your document. Not only will you save yourself a lot of time in setting it up, but you can be assured that your test will exactly conform to their specifications. Be sure to name your test file exactly as per their instructions.

3.) The first time through the audio, just type it out. You can go back and research and re-listen when you have already given it a first pass, but do your best to maintain proper grammar and adhere to the style guide at this time.

4.) When you go back through, research any terms you're not familiar with, as well as ALL names. I can't tell you how many times I've thought I had a name spelled correctly only to find out I was wrong after all when I looked it up. For example, I had a transcript the other day that mentioned someone named John Reese; however, when I took the time to research it, I discovered it was actually John Riesse. I can't stress enough how important details like this are.

5.) If you are having trouble making out what has been said in a certain area, it often helps to take a break and come back to it. If you still can't make it out, I would recommend that you attempt to spell what is said phonetically and indicate this in whatever manner the company specifies in their style guide. Marking it as inaudible, unintelligible, or leaving a blank should always be your very last resort.

6.) Review your style guide again, and make sure that you have adhered exactly to it throughout your test document. If you are unclear on something, again it is best to contact the company directly. They may tell you to just use your best judgment, and in this case, do just that while taking into account the information that you do have available to you.

7.) Always, always, always spell check your document one final time before sending it, and make sure that there are no extra spaces between words.

8.) When sending back your test, make sure that you are sending it to the email address that they have specified, and included any information that they request in the body of your email. Title your email as per their instructions, and don't forget to attach your test document.

Now it's time to wait. It is important to remember that company may be testing a large number of people at one time, so you may not hear anything back immediately. In fact, some companies do not respond at all unless you are hired. It's hard to be patient, but nagging them for results will probably only result in you being blacklisted. If more than three weeks have passed without a reply, a polite follow-up email would be acceptable. I would not recommend that you call the company requesting your test results under any circumstances.

Finally, if you are offered a contract with a company, know that they are going to expect the same degree of quality in your everyday work as you presented in your test. So I guess you could say that these are more than just testing tips. They can be looked upon as guidelines for maintaining a contract as well.

Getting Started - Writing Your Cover Letter - Part 2

Because our industry is usually conducted purely over the internet, people sometimes forget that professionalism and standard business etiquette still apply. Looking at the previously posted article, there are several things we can take from it to apply it directly to the transcription industry.

First, remember to keep your cover letter or email to the company focused on your skills as a transcriptionist. Do not focus on why you want to work from home, why you are working from home, what personal situations led you to this profession. All of these are exactly that, personal, and you are applying for a professional position.

Instead, focus on your skills in the field: your reliability, your grammatical expertise, whatever they may be. I also state what fields of transcription I have experience in and, if possible, tie my previous experience in with the type of transcription they are looking for.

Keep it simple. Your cover letter should be no more than three to five paragraphs long; however, I wouldn't go beyond three for the industry when applying to a transcription company. If I were soliciting a personal client I may include more content, but I see no reason to drag it out further for a company. Remember that the person looking at your email will be looking through several applicants and potential independent contractors, and length is not necessarily going to get you in the door. Show that you value their time by keeping it simple and straightforward.

In the same manner, do not restate things that are clearly listed on your résumé. Your résumé is there to provide the information on your background and experience. Instead, be brief, summarizing only to tie in to how that experience relates to the position you are applying for. Organize your information effectively. My cover letters usually contain three paragraphs in the following order:

1. Restate the position you are interested in and how you heard about the position.

2. Tie in your experience listed in your résumé to the position you are contacting them about.

3. Conclude by stating your desire to learn more about the position and the best ways to get in contact with you. Mention your résumé is attached for their further consideration, and thank them for their time.

Lastly, do not forget to formally end your email or cover letter with a formal salutation and your name. While these are often left off emails, remember that this email is taking the place of a formal letter and should include such formalities.

Hopefully, this gives you a starting point as you branch out and start contacting companies or as you look for additional companies to contract with to maximize your earning potential.

Getting Started - Writing Your Cover Letter - Part 1

It is extremely important for your initial email to a company or potential client to function as a formal cover letter, just as it would if you were responding to an employment position in the brick and mortar world. To get started, this article provides some basic information on what to include and what to leave out.

Cover Letter Tips

When writing your cover letter (and resume), keep in mind that the reviewer is only interested in one thing; the facts. Do not think of your cover letter as an autobiography; it should be brief and to the point. The purpose of the cover letter and résumé should be one thing – it should demonstrate that you meet or exceed the requirements listed in the job description. It should demonstrate that you’re interested in the position, and that you are available to accept the position if offered. Additional information beyond this can be counterproductive, as it dilutes the core purpose of the cover letter and resume.

When writing the cover letter, avoid negatives. A cover letter is not the place to explain why you left or are leaving an employer, why there are gaps in your employment dates, etc. These "negatives" are best delivered in person during the interview so that your personality and can counter them.

Try to avoid a salary history in the cover letter. Even if the position specifically asks for your salary history, providing this information will more likely to cost you a job than not. If the job ad specifically says that resumes without a salary history will not be considered, give a historical salary range, and state that your salary requirements are flexible based on the opportunity the position will provide.

Spend time thinking about the layout of your letter, and make it sure that it is easy on the eyes. It should be easy to scan the letter, and have a logical progression. Keep in mind, the reviewer of your resume has 100s (if not 1,000s) of cover letters and résumés to look at; therefore, make it easy for him/her to find the information you want to highlight. Bunched up text in long paragraphs will frustrate anyone who has to review hundreds of resumes and cover letters a week. In addition to the layout, don't just repeat your resume. Your cover letter is not a summary of your résumé; instead, its an introduction of yourself and an argument for why you are the best candidate for their company and the specific position - i.e. avoid the generic cover letter (this point will be noted again in later tips).

PLEASE do NOT follow the advice of poorly written resume books and websites that advise on using platitudes and clichés in your cover letter. Résumé reviewers do this for a living. They know that almost every candidate promises "excellent written and verbal communication skills", and the ability to "think outside the box" and "juggle multiple tasks". The point here is to be different and stand out. The goal is to demonstrate your written communication skills by writing a good cover letter – Cutting and pasting a phrase from a cover letter/résumé book is not impressive.

As noted above, personalize your cover letter if possible. Your cover letter should be addressed to a specific person - avoid the "Dear Sir or Madam". Form letters insult the reviewer's intelligence and indicate that you, the writer, are broadcasting his/her resume to every employer in the area. Or you have not made an effort to learn more about the company. Generic/canned cover letters can lead to failure. Even if you do not know the name of the recipient, you usually can find a contact name at the company fairly easily. Go to their company website, and search the "about us" pages for names of individuals to address your cover letter and resume to. It takes a few seconds; however will make your letter stand out.

Getting Started – Transcription Résumé

First, your résumé should be professional, just as it would be for any brick and mortar job you were applying for. My résumé has the same elements now when I'm sending it out to obtain a contract as an independent contractor that it did when I was sending it out to apply for an employee position. I have only changed the wording to target a different audience.

There are several sites online that provide general information on writing a professional résumé. This site offers an outline of things to include in your résumé with more detailed information on subsequent pages.

To tailor your résumé to the transcription industry your objective needs to clearly state your intent. This will avoid confusion when responding to ads and ensure that the person being contacted is on the same page as you. Words such as telecommuting and independent contractor help to clear the air of any such confusion.

I list my education because it shows I have a knowledge base to draw from. While it may not relate directly to the transcription industry or be a degree in English or small business management, my education does have relevance and importance in my everyday work. For example, one of my degrees is in Spanish, and I thoroughly enjoy the challenge that accents in a file bring to this job. Having that listed on my résumé reflects that strength and may give me an edge above other people in certain circumstances.

The most important part of your résumé will be your work experience, and this is the part that needs to be tailored most for transcription. The first thing I have listed is my work as a business owner and independent contractor providing transcription services. Under the heading I have bullet points on how I provide professional and reliable transcription services to a variety of clients. I then list my current active contracts with transcription companies. After each company's name I sum up what kind of transcription I provide for them, be it general, educational, financial, video production or something along those lines.

For prior work experience I list the dates of employment, my position title, the company I worked for, and I follow that with short bullet points. My prior work experience did not involve much that relates to transcription, but it was in a medical-related field, and it does show a little bit of what I am interested in as well. I keep my bullet points to a maximum of three per job, and I have only two places of employment listed beyond my current work as a transcriptionist. Those bullet points that I do include deal mostly with the data entry and computer skills associated with those positions. The fact that I worked in a restaurant for five years through high school and the beginning portion of college isn't necessary to include here and is left off my résumé completely.

My résumé also includes a qualifications section where I list computer programs I am familiar with. Some of these include Express Scribe, Start-Stop PowerPlay and Universal, Microsoft Office Suite and other transcription programs. In this section I also list my typing speed; however, I did not when I first started because it was nothing to brag about. It is only now that I find my typing speed to be on par that I include it.

Lastly, I do not have a list of references available on my résumé. I do state at the end that they are available upon request, and I have a list that I keep for myself should I ever need to provide someone with them. These are people previously contacted who have agreed to function in that particular role.

I hope this gives you a place to start honing your résumé towards the transcription industry or brush up one you may already have. A résumé is your first appearance to that potential contract, and having one that is easy to read and quickly focuses on your strengths in this field is important. Look for a later post to cover the bases of effective cover letter writing, even if that cover letter is the body of your email.

Saying No Without Guilt

If you asked Mandi and Shaina what my biggest downfall is as a transcriptionist, they'd probably tell you it's that I'm a bit of a pushover when it comes to turning down work. I have an extremely difficult time saying no to work. In fact, this past weekend was the first full weekend that I've had off since the birth of my youngest over three months ago, and I was fighting off the urge to accept work until late Friday night. I felt a little guilty because one of my contracts suddenly received a lot of work, but I am so glad that I didn't cave in. I was able to get a lot of things done that I've been meaning to do for quite some time, and I started my week feeling refreshed and ready to dive in for the first time in a long time.

I read this article on Modern Mom recently, and it's one of the things that has inspired me to be more conscientious about giving myself some time off more frequently. Though the site is geared toward working moms, you need not be a mom or even female to put the valuable pointers detailed in the article to work for you.

Most women fear if they are not accommodating to others, then people may think less of them. They agree to activities they have no interest in doing, simply to ensure everyone thinks they are a good person.

Oprah Winfrey has mentioned this phenomenon as the "Disease to Please." Women most often suffer from this problem. They will fill their lives with an overwhelming amount of responsibility. Unfortunately, in the end, it is with the best intentions women burn out and become very frustrated.

Saying yes too often can lead to high levels of stress. You are stretched too thin by a tremendous amount of commitments and the person who loses in the end is you.
If you feel stressed because you over commit yourself chronically, then you need to be aware of the health implications. High levels of stress have been linked to high blood pressure, heart attack, irritable bowel syndrome and, yes, even weight gain!

KEY POINT: Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women. How you treat your body and mind has a very real effect on your long term prognosis.

So, how do you say no so people will still like you (and you don't feel guilty)? Follow these pointers and start seeking a better balance in your healthy life.

• Know why you are saying no. Think about the activities in your life that you truly value being with your kids, being with your significant other, being able to relax for five minutes a day. If you stay focused on what is of value, then the next time you are asked to do something, you can decide if it supports your values or not. Yes, being the committee chair for a non-profit organization is very noteworthy, but if it means spending 5 hours a week going to meetings, then you need to weigh in if it supports your values right now.
  


• Be clear about saying no. Often, people hate saying "no" so much, they use unclear phases like, "maybe after the first of the year" or "let me get back to you" or "I would love to, but my plate is so full right now." These kinds of responses leave the other person thinking you are actually interested, when you are not. It would be better to say, "I am not able to help on this project. Keep me posted on upcoming events you know I always help when I can. I wish you all the best!"
  


• Rather than saying no, offer a compromise. Try to create a win-win situation when possible. Your children's school calls and asks you to bake 5 dozen of your famous chocolate covered cupcakes for the upcoming festival. You know you are slammed at work and truly do not have time to squeeze in this request. Rather than saying no, you could offer to bring cupcakes from one of the local bakeries or to be at the festival to help with setup or cleanup (you were planning on being there anyway). Remember, baking the cupcakes doesn't win you the Mother of the Year Contest. Your kids would rather spend time with you, than hearing you moan and groan in the kitchen.
  


• Be happy with yourself about saying no. Those times when you do actually say no, then you begin to second guess your decision. You worry and fret that maybe you should have said yes for many, many, many reasons. STOP! Remember, no one knows your life like you do. Only you can know what fits and what doesn't. By saying no to things that aren't right for you, allows you the time to do the things that are important!
  


• Rather than say no, delegate! Your boss comes to you with a very exciting project that you know will be time consuming. Recently, you helped hire a new employee within the department. Talk with the boss about how helpful it would be to have another person who knows how to handle this kind of work. By understanding how important it is to train other people within the company, your boss will see you as a leader.
  


• You have already committed, so now you can't say no! People will commit to things that span a great deal of time. You are on the Board of a local non-profit and next year you are expected to be Vice-President and the year after President! Yet, you have learned your new position within the company will expect you to travel. So, have things changed? Absolutely! You cannot foresee the future, and when things change dramatically, you need to reevaluate your commitments. It is OK to talk with the people you committed to and try to seek a win-win solution. Often, by enlisting the help of these people, you will come to a very good solution!

Remember, life is a marathon, not a sprint. Consider what you value when thinking about the commitments in your life. Twenty years from now, you will be glad you did!

Getting Started - First Impressions

"First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible professions or studied actions. A man's look is the work of years; it is stamped on his countenance by the events of his whole life, nay, more, by the hand of nature, and it is not to be got rid of easily."

-William Hazlitt

One thing we need to remember as we get started in the business or look to work with a new client or company is that professionalism matters, just as it would in an office setting. Our demeanor, the tone of our emails and the way we approach potential clients and contracts sets the precedent of what they can expect from us in all of our business interactions. First impressions mean the world in business, and this excerpt of an article from About.com details how incredibly important they are.

Do You Make Your First Impression Your Best Impression?

Within the first three seconds of a new encounter, you are evaluated…even if it is just a glance.

This first impression process occurs in every new situation. Within the first few seconds, people pass judgment on you – looking for common surface clues. Once the first impression is made, it is virtually irreversible.

The process works like this:

• If you appear to be of comparable business or social level, you are considered suitable for further interaction.
  
  
• If you appear to be of higher business or social status, you are admired and cultivated as a valuable contact.
  
  
• If you appear to be of lower business or social standing, you are tolerated but kept at arm's length.
  
  
• If you are in an interview situation, you can either appear to match the corporate culture or not, ultimately affecting the outcome.

It is human nature to constantly make these appraisals, in business and social environments. You may hardly have said a word; however, once this three-second evaluation is over, the content of your speech will not change it. When you make the best possible first impression, you have your audience in the palm of your hand. When you make a poor first impression, you lose your audience’s attention, no matter how hard you scramble to recover it. You can learn to make a positive and lasting first impression, modify it to suit any situation, and come out a winner. Doing so requires you to assess and identify your personality, physical appearance, lifestyle and goals. Those who do will have the advantage. Success comes to those with integrity, those that are resourceful, and those that make a fabulous impression!

In our industry, our initial email with cover letter and résumé is often the first impression a company or potential client has of us. It is important to make sure they are professional and well laid out to emphasize our skills as a transcriptionist and a professional. Look for future posts where we cover what exactly to include and exclude from your résumé and cover letter.

No matter how qualified you may be, there are times when you will face rejection and be turned down or lose the bid. Professionalism is key in these instances, and your reaction to them can either make you a candidate for future work or ensure that they will not include you in the list of applicants the next time around. While dealing with rejection is never easy, it is more important now than ever that you follow up with that client or company and let them know you are very thankful for their consideration and hope to be considered in the future should a need or other opportunity arise on their end. This will help you rise to the top of their list of potential contractors, making it easier for you to obtain a contract the second time.