WFH transcription / typing job - advice pls

[camelia66]

Hi I’m new around here 👋 Due to family commitments I’m looking for wfh job/jobs. I know transcription may not be with us for long due to AI but willing to give it a whirl (or any other sort of typing job really but unsure what there might be? Maybe typing a book for an author or something?) as I’ve years of audio typing experience; but when I last worked this was back in the day when you had a tiny tape player and foot pedal! Can someone pls explain in idiot terms how I would receive any work - ie is it emailed with a link or something? And how would I listen to it? Are headphones and foot pedal still required but just plug into a laptop? And how do you send completed work back? Sorry I sound like I’m from the dark ages 🤣 Ive just been doing a non techy job for a couple of decades after bringing children into the world but this work is no longer possible. But I’m a bit out of touch! Quick learner (and typer) so fingers crossed for some help here … and any tips or pointers
thank you xx

I'm sorry I'm going to be negative, but I think you're too late for this one. AI will be taking most of this type of work already, and anyone who doesn't want/can't have it done by AI will have their pick of more experienced people fighting for limited work.

BUT there are lots of other WFH jobs! What other experience do you have?

Dammit bad timing. 4 years legal sec years ago, estate agency for over a decade. And aromatherapy more recently but my house is no longer quiet enough to do this.
thanks for your thoughts :)

What about updating your it skills with free Microsoft office courses and looking at being a va?virtual assistant?

My friend used to do this and it dried up during COVID she now runs about 15 VAs that's a good way to go

I was only wondering the other day if audio typing jobs still existed. I was an excellent one (even though I say so myself) but haven't done it since 1995! Since then I've worked in catering. I remember the tape cassettes and the foot pedals OP. I was also wondering whether I could get back into it but this seem to be rather delusional.

I could try something like a course to update my skills. I find it all a bit bewildering tbh so was hoping to stay with what I know (mostly).

what does being a VA involve? Is it basically secretarial but not in the office?

gina yes I was prettt nifty too, what a shame, I think we’ve missed the boat

We use a tool called Trint to transcribe audio files but they then need tidying up and we pay someone minimum wage to do this. I think transcription is on the way out.

Being a virtual PA is basically anything and everything that potential clients want you to do to help them run their business, from booking rooms for meetings, to doing the book-keeping, to running their diaries, to act as front line in answering emails and phone calls, to organising workloads/to-do lists, to drafting quotes/invoices, to ordering/purchasing supplies, etc. Basically what a "physical" PA used to do in the office next to the boss, but now done remotely, mostly by email/online apps or phone etc. The more you can do, the more clients/work you'll get. Multi skilled virtual PAs who can turn their hands to all things "organisational and administration" are in very high demand from small businesses, "One man band" self employment set ups etc., who want someone to deal with the office drudgery and let them concentrate on their fee earning work.

I may be wrong, but don’t doctors still dictate letters and have them typed up by medical secretaries?

@HotCrossBunplease this is part of my job as a medical secretary, however most letters are electronically transcribed and we just tidy it up after. Shame really as I always quite enjoyed audio-typing!

I do this but it’s mostly summary work rather than transcribing verbatim. I don’t do a lot now but it’s board/committee minutes or HR meetings that need a summary note done.