Typing from home

[CHUNKYMUNKEY]

I am being made redundant in August from my job as an audio typist and would like to do some typing from home if possible as have dd (3.6 years), only want to work part-time. Does anyone know where i can get this kind of work from. Any posts greatfully received

[BadHair]

Best thing to do is to set up on your own. That's what I'm in the process of doing. Market yourself to local businesses as secretarial outsourcing. You need to be very clear about your pricing structure, factoring in everything like your hourly rate, paper and print costs, even electricity, heating and lighting. I got some costing ideas from the Alliance of Virtual Assistants , but as I'm in the middle of nowhere in what's classed as an area of rural deprivation, I've costed myself lower than most of these.
Also, think of branching out further than just audio typing. Use all of your skills and market them.
If you need start up funding, speak to your bank. Mine were surprisingly helpful and have given me a small overdraft rather than a business loan as I only had small set up costs. You need to think about things like marketing - I just designed my leaflets in Publisher, then photocopied them at work (ahem) and am in the process of hauling them around local businesses and making sure I speak to the secretaries when I deliver them. Yell.com and Thompson Local will list you for free but there's a cost for the BT Phonebook.
Feel free to CAT me if you want to go down the self-employed route as I'm still in the early stages myself and will happily share experience.

[BadHair]

You're not in North Shropshire, are you? If so, ignore everything I've just said - don't want any competition [grin}!

[CHUNKYMUNKEY]

Thanks for your reply BadHair. You've got no worries about the competition as im in West London I was thinking about marketing myself to companies, but was unsure as to how to do it. I have heard about a company called Wordwave, and was wondering if anyone has any experience of them?

[mamadadawahwah]

this sounds interesting. I used to free lance to university students, typing thesis and cv's. Is there any money to be made at this venture. (not in shropshire by the way, no way near!)

[BadHair]

Chunkymunkey - I've not heard of Wordwave, but if you did set up on your own I would think you'd be in an ideal location in West London. One of my main problems is that I live in a rural area so although there are loads of so-called local businesses they are spread out over quite a wide area so its time consuming to make the initial face-to-face contact. If I was in W London my first stop would be the BBC - with the job cuts they're having at the moment there won't be many spare hands to help out with the inevitable ad hoc stuff.

Mamadadawahwah - from the initial market research I did (which was just asking around, basically) it seems that there's a gap in the market for supplying secretarial support as and when required. Many small businesses need to produce letters, reports, presentations, spreadsheets etc but can't afford permanent support, or haven't the space for a secretary. Or secretaries in larger companies need an extra pair of hands now and again but can't justify the cost of getting a temp in for a full day. And that's where I come in. I've costed my hourly rate to be between the fee paid to an agency and the rate I would receive as a temp, as after all I'm using my own facilites and don't get paid for breaks, so the business only pays for the time I've spent on their work.
I'm still setting up so its very early days, but no-one else round here is doing anything remotely like it, unless you count a lady who does CVs, so I don't see why it shouldn't be a success, especially as set-up costs are so low. I'll let you know if I make a packet out of it!

[pixiefish]

I paid my way through Uni doing this- I used to type up building Surveyor's reports. He was a one man band and he sued to bring me the tape and then call back whenever I told him to for the report.

It was very easy work as I had a lot of the report on template and a lot of shortcuts. Over 10 years ago I used to get £6 an hour. He still uses someone to do this but I don't know how much he pays.

You could try mailshotting small independent architects/surveyors etc

[CHUNKYMUNKEY]

Thanks BadHair and pixifish, i think i may do your suggestions about the mailshots, how would it work in terms of getting the work and sending it back, would you be paid on number of pages typed or an hourly rate? please let me know how things work out for you Badhair

[pixiefish]

I worked it out on an hourly rate how long each report took and therefore how much I charged per report so a 10 page report was £12.50, 11 page report was £14 etc- that was worked out after i'd done the first few reports and i averaged it all out.

I enjoyed the work I did although i did sometimes find it monotonous. I used to ask the boss for the sales particulars though and I'd visualise the house as I was listening to the tape and typing

[CHUNKYMUNKEY]

BadHair, would you mind if i CAT you at some point during the week for some advice re marketing myself to companies and so on?

[BadHair]

Chunkeymunkey - only just seen this, but yes, CAT away.

[Bugsy2]

I am a self-employed PA/project manager. I work in central London. I actually go to my clients and do some work from home. I don't think you'll have a problem finding stuff.
Tell everyone you can think of, look through the Creme section of the Times on Weds, the Secretarial section of the Guardian. Check in your local newsagents windows & put a card in newsagents windows too.
Good luck

[artyjoe]

Depending on how 'part time' you want to work, I am looking to fill a position in my transcribing agency if you are interested. I would need you to complete a 2hr tape (conversational)at least three times a week. If it's of interest CAT me.

Good luck if you go the self employed route, definitely a market for what you are offering.

Joe

[CHUNKYMUNKEY]

Artyjoe, thanks for your message, I will CAT you if thats okay.

[CHUNKYMUNKEY]

Artyjoe, i have just CAT you, thanks Bugsy2 as well.

[snowfallinthesahara]

artjoe hope its ok if i cat u reg the poisiton?