APPLICANT FAQ

Are you a transcriptionist interested in working for 1-888-TYPE-IT-UP? If so, this is the page for you. We are eager to receive your application, though we understand you probably have some questions first. Below are some questions and answers to the most common inquiries we receive on a daily basis.   

Is experience required?

We very much value experience, but we do not require it. We only require that you pass our transcription test.

In addition:

• We are looking for the highest accuracy possible. As such, proofreading your work word for word against the audio is critical, and a high-quality set of headphones is necessary for this.

• We require accurate formatting and style too. Unlike our competitors, we don't use old-fashioned and/or ugly formatting for our transcripts. We transcribe nearly all files in a production-style table template that other transcription companies typically don't use. The final result is a polished, elegant-looking transcript that has garnered immensely positive feedback from our clients. However, as a new transcriptionist working for us, there is a slight learning curve for transcribing within the table template.

• Reliability is of utmost importance. If you take hours or days to respond to emails, we are less likely to have confidence in sending you work. In addition, our client relationships are on the line when it comes to delivering on time. It is risky for us to assign files to transcriptionists who we cannot trust will deliver on time.

If you can pass our transcription test and you can meet our "AFR" standards (accuracy, formatting, reliability), we are happy to bring you on board our team of dedicated transcriptionists. We completely understand the conundrum of needing experience to land a contract while needing to gain experience at the same time. After all, our first clients had to give us a chance too. As long as you can deliver good work and prove to be reliable while working from home, we are happy to work with you as one of our transcriptionists.

How much do you pay?

We are one of the highest-paying transcription companies on the internet. Our lowest pay rate is $30 per audio hour, and this only applies in cases where clients will only agree to pay $1 per audio minute or $60 per audio hour. We understand this is far too low, but due to competitors' predatory pricing, we do allow clients to submit files with reasonable audio quality and slower turnaround times for only $1 per audio minute. We strive as much as possible to pay our transcriptionists $1 to $2 per audio minute and up depending on audio quality and special features. Our full pay scale ranges from $0.50 per audio minute ($30 per audio hour) to $3 per audio minute ($180 per audio hour).

We do not offer periodic raises but rather file-specific bonuses. Pay rates vary per file depending on the client's budget and your past performance.

Is there an age limit to apply?

You must be at least 14 years old to work with us.

If you’re under age 18, you will need a parent or guardian to provide a PayPal account for you. For U.S. transcriptionists, we pay via PayPal, and PayPal does not allow minors to have PayPal accounts. We may also be able to pay you via Payoneer if PayPal doesn’t work for you.

May I apply if I’m outside the United States of America?

Yes, if you are outside the United States, you can transcribe for our non-U.S. clients. We have many clients outside the U.S., so getting work is not a problem if your quality is good.

How do you pay, AND HOW OFTEN?

We pay twice a month via PayPal on the 15th and last day of the month. We require all transcriptionists to submit Net 10 invoices via PayPal by the 5th and 18th of the month (approximately 10 calendar days prior to payment).

If you are outside the United States and your country does not support PayPal, we can pay you via Payoneer or Western Union.

NEW for 2020: 1-888-TYPE-IT-UP transcriptionists who receive payment via PayPal can now receive payment within 24 to 72 hours upon assignment completion for a 5 percent discount. The 5 percent discount only applies to the specific file(s) for which you want the expedited payout.

Other jobs and transcription companies typically only pay on a weekly, biweekly or semimonthly basis, but now you can receive payments multiple times a week if you need. The process is easy too — simply submit a PayPal invoice any time on your own schedule and receive payment within 24 to 72 hours.

What are Net 10 invoices?

Net 10 invoices are invoices you submit 10 calendar days prior to payday.

For payment on the 15th of the month, we must receive your PayPal invoice by 12 noon PT on the 5th of the month. For payment on the last day of the month, we must receive your PayPal invoice by 12 noon PT on the 18th of the month.

How Much Do You Pay?

Pay rate information is on the jobs page. We do not pay per work hour. We pay per recorded minute transcribed. Our pay rate ranges from $0.50 to $3 per recorded minute ($30 to $180 per recorded hour), with the average pay rate ranging from $1 to $1.50 per recorded minute ($60 to $90 per recorded hour).

Depending on your speed, it will take anywhere from four to six minutes to transcribe one audio minute, which equates to four to six hours per recorded hour. With a pay rate of $30 to $180 per recorded hour, this means you can make anywhere from $5 to $45 per work hour.

How do I take the entrance exam?

You will need to fill out our job application first. You will immediately receive access to the testing materials upon submission of your application and entrance exam fee.

There is no time clock on the entrance exam. You can work on it at your leisure, but you must submit your exam within one month from your application date. After the one-month period, you will need to reapply.

What equipment do I need?

You will need Express Scribe (free version). Express Scribe Professional (one-time fee of $59.95) is not required unless you want to transcribe .m4a files and/or video files, as only the Professional version plays .m4a files and video files. You will also need a pair of headphones and Microsoft Office. If you don't have Microsoft Office, please see our transcription jobs page for information on how we can provide you with a licensed monthly subscription to Microsoft Office.

Please see our transcription jobs page for a full list of required equipment.

Is There an Interview Process?

There is no interview process to work for us. We have a forward-thinking philosophy here at 1-888-TYPE-IT-UP, and we believe companies selecting candidates via interviews are relying on an inefficient, biased and prejudiced process.

This is why we simply require all applicants to pass an entrance exam, which allows us to see whether your skills are sufficient regardless of experience. We don’t require experience because we don’t believe experience can be verified. References are not helpful because most people will not ask those who do not like them to provide a reference, and some companies do not allow supervisors to provide references for legal purposes. Prior experience in transcription is great, but experience is not helpful if you mishear what speakers say or you fail to follow formatting instructions. Moreover, every transcription company has different formatting requirements, so experience with one company may still require a learning curve with another.

While there is a $59 entrance exam fee, consider the money you would spend on interview attire and the time and money you would spend traveling to and from an interview. You would certainly spend at least (if not more) than $59.

Is a foot pedal required?

A foot pedal is not required, as you can control the audio with hotkeys on your keyboard. We have many transcriptionists who transcribe successfully without a foot pedal. If you don't use a foot pedal, you can easily set up hotkeys on your keyboard via Express Scribe.

How do I get started?

Unlike other transcription companies, we have a full job application right here on our website. We do not accept resumes or cover letters. Please fill out our job application only, as this has proven most effective and efficient for us. Experience is not required, and we welcome new transcriptionists who can pass our transcription test.