How Hard is it to be a Transcriber? — Alternative careers from home.
A transcriber creates a written copy of either audio or video. If you are accurate, have laser-like focus, and pay super-sharp attention to detail, this could be the job for you.
You need to have a typing speed of 60 wpm+, be a red-hot speller, and be a very able researcher.
Surely AI is cancelling out transcribers?
No, not yet. AI isn’t sufficiently accurate as I write this, and it lacks the ability to format. So humans, at least in this field, are still in demand.
It isn’t easy.
I have reasonable grammatical skills, I can spell, and I think I’m a pretty good listener. In the past, I have carried out tasks as an audio typist, and I found it easy.
Yesterday, I put myself to the test with McGowan, a UK transcription service.
First I completed the grammar test, which wasn’t that hard; next I did a typing test and found myself to be somewhat rusty, even though I type pretty much all day every day. My typing speed has slowed to around 40 wpm. This is possibly because I am not under any pressure to type fast (apart from when I am trying to finish a book).
Next came the audio test. I downloaded the file and made my first mistake. I should have listened to at…
