Most individuals nowadays want to pursue a career in the transcription industry. The fact that they can work from home and earn a substantial amount of money seems fascinating. However, a handful of them is not sure what or how much equipment they need to purchase.
In the past, transcription was considered a challenging profession because the equipment available was inefficient, complex, and expensive. The scenario has changed a lot due to the incredible strides made by technology.
Basic Equipment Every Transcriptionist Need
Laptop or Computer
The first tool that each transcriptionist needs is a computer. Depending on your preference, you can opt for either a laptop or a desktop or keep both. A laptop is beneficial when you are outside and must submit a project immediately. A desktop is convenient for people in their office or workstation at home. You can also invest in different types of mouse and keyboards.
Top-Notch Headphones
The experts offering Australian medical transcription services said headphones are a must. Transcriptionists have to listen to several audio recordings daily and convert them into documented texts. If they do not have the best headphones in the market, they may fail to understand certain words or miss out on entire phrases. Some recordings have background noise that ordinary headphones cannot wade through.
Ergonomic Chair
Transcriptionists have to spend a major portion of their day in front of computer screens. Ergonomic chairs offer the back and neck enough comfort and support, and the time you spend transcribing becomes tolerable. Investing in chairs with adjustable height is also an amazing idea. You can sit comfortably without negatively impacting your posture.
Foot Pedal
A foot pedal is also a significant piece of equipment you must buy before taking up transcription projects. A foot pedal lets you rewind, fast forward, play, and pause recordings. Rather than using your hands, you can press the lever with your foot to rewind the audio while typing. This saves abundant time.
Basic Software Every Transcriptionist Needs
Thesaurus or Dictionary
It would help to keep a thesaurus or dictionary nearby. Both help you spell words that you might not be aware of. You also learn the meaning of words and see if you are using them in the right context.
Word Processor
You must install a word processor immediately. Microsoft Office or WordPerfect have impressed larger segments of the population.
Here, you can format the entire document after typing as per clientele needs.
Industry-Specific Manuals
If you are planning on transcribing for an industry that needs profound knowledge, you must get your hands on its manual. Suppose you are appointed as a medical transcriptionist. Then the manual will help you thoroughly understand the jargon used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
The list mentioned above of equipment has helped a large number of modern-day individuals launch their transcription careers. The skills that enabled them to reach unimaginable prosperity are active listening, fast typing, flexibility, attention to detail, research, comprehension, and time management.
Hope the discussion above was insightful and will help you to have a better understanding. In case of any suggestions or queries, please feel free to share with us below in the comment section with us to make it more interesting for others.
