I feel your pain but the grass may not been greener elsewhere!
Posted By: Fingers on 2009-08-25
In Reply to: Fingers - Worried
I am getting a little worried too. If you can, wait until after Labor Day before you make such a major decision just in case it is simply last minute vacations before the kids go back to school. I hope that will take care of some of it. Good luck!
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Greener Grass
I left Transcend's, never having made $16.00 even once. Now I make a minimum of $20.00 an hour, and on bonus time I get $40.00 an hour.
You must be the CEO of Transcend or something. : )
Grass Isn't Always Greener
I work for a major MTSO. I work all holidays (without extra pay), nights, and weekends. Its not that much better out there. A lot of them will promise you a lot when they are recruiting but when you get your foot in the door, you find out what they said isn't true. Just a word of advice, quitting over the holiday pay change isn't going to reap you any rewards. If its on top of other things, then definitely think about it. But quitting a job for that one reason alone when almost all of the other MTSOs don't pay for holidays anyway, is something to think twice about. There are much worse companies out there than OSI. And for those who are already going to start the mud slinging, no I don't work for OSi and no I'm not management. But my advice would just be to think twice before jumping. Like I said, I've never worked for an MTSO that paid me for not working the holiday. Some have paid me a little extra when I did work it. Others, just don't care about holidays at all. It can always be worse than what you have. Maybe you'll find something better but during the recruiting phase, it is so hard to find out what is true and what isn't. Good luck!
for me the grass is so very greener !!
I had 7 yr in MQ and was able to take my Expander file with me -- so didn't feel like i was losing all the investment of time. I am extremely happy now, making more cpl too, but no bene's other than sweeeeet freedom :) i'd never go back. they asked me at least 4 times...
Grass is much greener!
I am making more $$, have paid holidays, but can work them if I want to. I have 1 account and have can actually create and use normals. I ran out of work once and that was on Labor day for an hour. I was scared to leave MQ as well, but I couldn't stand it anymore. I like my job again, which is great.
The Grass is Greener
I did leave MQ in September after 8 1/2 years and the grass is definitely greener. I took a 1/2 cent per line pay cut and now am making more money anyway. If you find the right company I'm sure you will be much happier.
The grass always looks greener
on the other side.
We are in financial straits. My husband was laid off years ago, which set off a huge ball of stress rolling downhill right at us. We ended up filing bankruptcy 3 years ago and are still paying the price, including a high interest loan on our home. He has been working 2+ jobs for years now. For me, it may always look like the right choice to find a hospital job with benefits but in my case it wasn't. I had been employed at a hospital until last week. The work there was short...and they weren't outsourcing, either. We would actually have to go IN to the hospital and work in Medical Records for our hourly time instead of taking PTO, which was depleted from the sporadic days of no work. I can't afford day care, which is why I WORK FROM HOME. They were pushing the inhouse work at least 2 days a week. That wasn't working for me. I had to quit. They won't be filling my position. I have had an IC job on the side for a local doc and have been lucky enough to find another IC job that has the work. So, hopefully I will make roughly the same...only time will tell...just no benefits. But, I now have a more flexible schedule and can be the mom that I have been missing out on being for the last 3+ years. I know there are people out there that would LOVE to work from home to spend more time with their kids. I love the fact that I can hear if they need something or can stop to cuddle for a minute but it's stressful at the same time when you are pushing to get your work done.
All I'm saying is that there are pros and cons to EVERY job, MTs or otherwise. Not everyone is lucky to find their dream job, but it never hurts to keep your eyes on the lookout.
went to where the grass really WAS greener.
went to where the grass really WAS greener.
Grass aint no greener
From my experience, to hop around, unless you know someone personally, no, two people, maybe even more that work for a particular company you are probably better off where you are, no matter how unhappy you are at the moment. This too will pass...
VERY well said. The grass is NOT always greener. I am happy s/m
to work for Webmedx, even thought things are slow right now. I can recall when I worked for another company sitting for DAYS at a time with NO work --ZERO WORK-- so I am quite happy running out for a few minutes at a time. The world is not perfect.
grass isn't greener, BTDT came back, sm
I have always been frustrated with management. However, they don't pay management enough and that is a huge reason why they don't get quality people in there. One awesome person they had left and now I see she is even back - grass wasn't greener elsewhere for her.
I left awhile back and came back with my tail between my legs. There are far worse companies out there, I tried 3 before I came back.
Why do I like Diskriter -
Pay is average for industry don't expect anything more than average, on time, direct deposit.
QA staff is very good, only 1 person maybe would not be my ideal QA person there because she really doesn't know what she's doing - she's QA because she can't type fast enough (was told that by a management level person who is no longer there).
Their Tech Support people are wonderful and always go out of their way, very personable and more than willing to help no matter time of day or night. Other companies are not that good or personable.
So, I guess I will be a Diskriter MT forever. Many have left and a lot have come back. They aren't for everyone but no one is.
Feel free to email me if you want to know more.
I work there and I love it. The grass is greener.
xxx
Grass wasn't greener - the poo was deeper though
I was in-house for 3 years. We each had to work a major holiday every year, 2 if we were understaffed. And we had to rotate weekends because we could never find part-timers willing to work the weekend, and then we had take an odd day off in the middle of the week so they didn't have to pay us OT. Plus we had to back one another up in case someone called in sick - ruining our weekends off because we were on call and could make any real plans. Our schedules constantly changed and it was impossible to plan anything in advance because we never knew when a last minute change in the schedule would affect us. Often I'd get a call from the boss to come in early because someone called in sick.
I couldn't make any money in house. My hourly paycheck was set in stone, and they whined and griped if they had to pay any overtime, but would rather force me to take unplanned time off to make up for the 12 hour day they required me to work the day before. Then someone else had to come in early to cover MY being forced to take off half a day. It was a circus that never ended and we all felt like clowns.
Now I have some control of how much I make and when I make it - at least a lot more control than I had in-house.
Many MTs do jump around a lot, often thinking the grass is greener. sm
I recruit for a small MTSO (100 MT's) and look at each resume individually. I have a list of which companies do not pay, which companies send work overseas, which companies run out of work (have a lot of complaints about that here). If someone is changing often and has a string of bad luck, that is one thing, but when I see that someone is hopping from one big company to another every 3 months, that's a different story.
Many, if not most, of the resumes I get are from MT's who have either been with one or two companies or hospitals for a long time, or at least have one long-term job on their resume.
I have also found that someone who works full-time for another company or hospital is probably not a good applicant for us, as the full-time job will occasionally need OT, need the MT to fill in for someone else, have meetings, etc. and we are left trying to get coverage. For that reason, I will always choose someone who does not have another job over someone who does, if all other things are equal.
Also, you mention that IC's move around a lot. The MTSO I work for only hires employees, and after being at MTIA last year, he came back and said that most companies are moving to employees only, not ICs, as the IRS and state governments are finding that most IC's are actually employees, and it is not worth the risk of a large fine to have that determination made, even after following all the rules.
There are a lot of great MT's out there right now looking for work. Most of us look for stability, length of experience, flexibility and willing to work and are fortunate enough to have enough applicants to be choosy. When I interview, the MT's who give me their entire life story, complain about everything from their current place of employment to the cost of cat food, list their medical ailments and/or have a chip on their shoulder are put on the bottom of my pile or discarded completely. With so many resumes, there is no reason to hire someone who is negative from the very first contact.
The grass, in my opinion, is definitely not greener. I left QT and a short time later, sm
I came back and was never happier that I did. I should never have left in the first place. I think QT is, by far, one of the most flexible, good-paying, understanding company to work for. I actually enjoy when it is a little slow and volunteer to have a day off. I love to have a day to myself every once and a while.
In regard to the person who waits 30 minutes for work, just call again. Sometimes, the office people get side tracked and then might forget that they didn't get work routed. L told me once, if I didn't have work in 10 minutes, call again. Usually, if this happens to me, the person says something line, Oh, I got busy and totally forgot, I'm sorry, I'll do it right away. Sorry about the long post, I just happen to think that QT is the best company out there! ;)
The grass is always greener over the septic tank. Go find another job if you are unhappy.
MT jobs are easy to find, so very easy to find.
I feel your pain.
I trained as a federal employee at a military hospital. When we got to "go home" to work, we thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread; what it actually did was to take away my federal blue cross, blue shield insurance, I was 40 thought I would be young forever, cashed out my 10,000 retirement. I was a single parent, no child support (long story, I did not want to hurt my son), so for over a year I was able to buy a few things and get anything I wanted at the grocery store, at the cost of my civil service retirement that I cashed in. I wish you well in your new on-site job. I wish I had such an opportunity. You will be much better off, be happier, and when mom is happy, everyone is happy. Sincerely good luck to you, and I am from a small town in SC, and I think if I move to a big city I can find such an opportunity. Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Again, I feel your pain, but you have to get over
thinking or believing that the company you work for is your friend. I most certainly have experienced this same stabbing pain and have learned never to fall prey to those emotions again. I started with a small local company where you actually saw the owners face to face, and they were lying dogs in the end - complete betrayal over a $$$. They sold to a company, who sold to a company, who sold to a company, and each one lied to all the MTs over and over again. You have to have yourself covered, have 2 jobs, make sure your bank account is padded - whatever you have to do. But get rid of the emotions that any company is your friend. As Dr. Phil would say, take your power back. This is business and its cut-throat in America these days in any industry.
Feel your pain
I don't know anything about USAMedTran.
I have a company I'm committed to full time, a part time company and a whenever I can put in some time company. My main company was always running out of work so I had to look somewhere else to make that up. Good luck to you!
Feel your pain OSi
MQ is doing the exact same thing. Rarely see my primary, and I mean rarely. Have had nothing but new clients over and over, new client profiles to read, and making minimum wage if I am lucky. I have been with MQ 7 years, an MT for 20 years. I think a MQ and OSi are copying each other, get rid of the more experienced MTs, and pay less money to newer MTs. I don't know if even the hospitals care what is in those documents anymore. Good luck to you. I am resigning from MQ today.
I feel your pain
I've been in that boat before, where I worked for a company who wanted all employees to have MSN messenger open at all times during their shift. It was SO annoying. You'd be trying to work, and then an IM would pop up asking you to do stat reports. Ugh! I got out of there fast! I can't stand being bothered on messenger when I'm trying to work.
I feel your pain!
Mine went up 69% from last year. It was a good thing I was sitting down when I looked at the numbers. I'm still trying to figure out much more I have to type to make up the difference. I'm so sad about this and the health care industry crisis as a whole.
I feel your pain! sm
My account has been slow on work for the past 3 months. During the week there is usually not enough work during my schedule to meet my minimum requirement. They send out emails expecting you to work nights, weekends, your days off to make up during the slow times. Do they think I just sit at home all day with no life? I picked my schedule because those are the hours/days I can work! I do have a life outside of work and I cannot work on my days off because I have a family. It annoys me to no end.
FEEL YOUR PAIN
I am currently working full-time at a hospital and looking for a part-time position as an independent contractor. I have been transcribing for 33 years, so I have seen the ups and lately downs in medical transcription.
As an independent contractor, I am not going to accept less than 10 cpl, and I actually believe with my experience, I may be able to hold out for something higher.
I guess my advice which is given with the best intentions would be dependent on if you need benefits. If you need benefits, you may be able to or have to accept less than 10 cpl, but I feel with your experience, that you definitely deserve at least 10 cpl as an employee.
Two hospitals in my area offer great benefits and pay 10 cpl during the week with a weekend bonus of up to 5 cpl! Currently, I am making an hourly wage with incentive bonus (if you want to call it that). We have had 3 drops in our incentive in less than a year. I have gone from being fairly comfortable to barely making it, and actually have had to move.
I envy your 300 lines an hour! I average about 209, but our work is manually assigned to us and sometimes being experienced means you are given the hardest work.
Remember, you have a lot to offer a transcription company...your experience which is worth its weight in gold. You are an assest to the company and especially to the hospital which they service. Good Luck and it is nice to say Hi to an OLDBIE? Is that what we are??
Keep in touch with me if you like via private e-mail. I would love to help and would like your help also!
I feel your pain. (sm)
I was QA at 3 different companies in the past, and honestly, I couldn't make any money because of having to leave feedback and then defend it when MTs argued every point. This was all for free, like you said, because getting paid by the line means no pay for feedback or answering emails clarifying and defending what you changed. My last straw was when one MT complained to my boss bitterly when I changed her typed a-b-duction to abduction (you know how they say it that way sometimes to be clear). She SWORE she worked for a doctor who said that was the way it should be typed and therefore I was a moron because I didn't know that. My boss actually went so far as to say just leave it when she types it that way, we don't want to lose her because she works 3rd shift. After that, I decided it just wasn't worth it to me, went back to typing, and I've never been happier. I don't see how anyone makes real money doing QA since most places pay by the line now.
I feel you pain
I got the exact same message
Feel your pain
I have 4 kids ranging from 7 to 18. Obviously the 18 yo can fend for himself as can my 17 yo, but the youngest two, 7 and 8, cannot. They have a habit of picking up every bug known to man and always seem to get the worse of everything. I am an IC as well, but have to work and also have a boss who when I cannot work, will give the work away and then I have to fight to get it back, which means normally waiting until the person that took over has to take time off.
But, is what I have done, is keep the kids on the couch, set them up all comfy and they are within hearing distance. I have given them walkie-talkies and they call if they need something, going to vomit, etc. I check on them frequently as well. I make sure to take a lunch break and spend that time cuddling with them. If they aren't too bad like the last bout of chicken pox (even with the shot!), I have a table set up in my office that they can come in and color, etc and be with me.
Keep your head up, you are Super Mom as we all are and things will work out in the end.
I feel your pain
I just wanted to say that I know what you are talking about as I am in the same situation. I also start very early in the morning in the hopes of finishing up before my kids get home from school, but I often run out of work and end up sitting here at my computer for at least 10 hours a day as it is waiting for work. I'm not looking forward to the stress of adding an hour to each day when there are not enough hours in the day as it is. I'll be praying that you will be able to handle the extra hour each day. I know how precious an hour can be when you are already stretched so thin.
I feel your pain
anon...very, very frustrating these days in the MT world. Unfortunately these company's true colors don't come shining through until you've experienced it first hand. Best of luck to you. Don't wait for things to get better as problems like this usually fall upon deaf ears. 
I feel your pain
That is so funny you are talking about this. I tried to take that test with those buttons, and ended up throwing my hands up in the air, and exited right out of the program. I am sad because I really was interested in working for them. I have 11 years experience, and after trying that test, I felt like I was just starting out.
I definitely feel your pain..
...as well as my own. It was a horrible year for me. I signed on CyMed several months before SPi swallowed it. (I hold a big grudge, by the way, against those at Cymed who knew this deal was in the works and concealed this fact, though I specifically asked about pending sales.) For several months it was heaven. Then over the next year under SPi management it became a nightmare, culminating with a mass layoff by conference call. Everything I've read about it on this forum since then has only confirmed that nothing has improved. My advice to any job hunter is to run away from these users and abusers very, very fast.
Feel your pain
I work for Keystrokes and I am in the same situation. No work in the morning when it is time to sign on,being asked to sign in later, work different hours etc. Don't know how long I can keep it up.
I feel your pain. nm
I feel your pain and almost gave up
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I feel your pain and have wasted more of my
time on new companies than I can ever get back. I didn't honestly have time to read your whole post, but I know I made myself a thorough list of all things to cover before I ever even thought about saying Yes, and found that it made no difference at all in the end. The recruiters promised the moon, answered all my concerns in the way I wanted to hear, and then I got the bait-and-switch every single time once I actually was employed. Its so disgusting in our industry, and I'm sure they get away with it because we are all remote - I much prefer to look somebody straight in the lie when I'm getting lied to...Its so very hard via phone, and I have also noticed that they won't put it in writing, exactly. So you have to either trust them and give it a shot, or mistrust them and don't give it a shot. But I have tried at least a dozen companies in the past few years, and absolutely gave up all hope, and stayed with my original employer - at least I know this enemy. I researched and researched every single company, confirmed and double confirmed all info given me, even had things go great for weeks while in training, transcribing thousands upon thousands of lines per day, only to have the bait-and-switch dumped on me every single time, bar none, when I was out on my real account and stuck with the company. Its as if it was a candid camera episode - gone were the dictators I had grown accustomed to, and here were the garbage ESL dictators and/or no work, and/or cherry picking, and/or new hours required, etc. I have no stomach for changing jobs ever again.
I certainly feel your pain/frustration
i do work for Keystrokes after many nationals. It sounds like you had a clinic account and with 20 years experience that would be horrible, I have 17 and no clinic experience and I certainly don't want to do clinic work or look up doctors, so I am on your side.
I think Keystrokes really leans to the experienced MT who does not require much guidance, but believe you me I would not be on an account where you had to find doctor's addresses. After working for them I quit for pie in the sky - emailed Lee to take me back. You probably should have been on an acute care account - you can always go back, I did - I am finally making some money after 5 years of almost desperation.
I feel your frustration, that has been me, but I think for me with 17 years acute care experience, and being on EX-Text, I am making money for the first time. I worked on Meditech years ago and made money but that was gross line with the system being in the hospital, I don't know now.
Try again unless you are happy where you are. Lee took me back with open arms.
I was told (and all my experince was in hospitals for the first 7 year) that it takes at least 5 years before your nose is out of the books constantly. Sounds like you were on the wrong account.
Hang in there, it is horrible starting new with any company and then find out you don't fit or you were steered wrong.
I soooo feel your pain!
and it makes me angry too. I have done this since 1980 and never had a raise. As a matter of fact, I used to make more!! Everybody wants to do medical transcription and I get asked about it all the time. I tell them NOOOOOO, you do NOT want to do this. The ads out there make it sound like you can make so much money, and while as a good Transcriptionist you CAN make better than average money, it never goes past that point. Working at home is not all it is cracked up to be. I only did it because I wanted to be home with my kids. Now I am sorry to be stuck in this rut.
trust me I feel your pain
but you still don't seem to understand WHY this is happening...
and I can't help you there - just strongly suggest you do more research on our system (capitalism) and maybe you'll understand why things are as they are - AS LONG AS UNRESTRAINED PROFIT IS A MOTIVE who polices those with the power and the money?
I feel your pain, truly. Good luck to you. nm
x
I feel your pain...my pay has severely been reduced.
If my pay this period is $500, I'll be lucky! And I agree with you, it isn't fair that they have severely overhired, especially for the MTs that have been with them for a long time. In my opinion, during times like this the work should be distributed based on seniority, but obviously that will never happen. It just stinks all around.
I too have been testing for other companies during all this downtime. I'm even thinking of painting my living room, that is if I can afford the paint. LOL!!!
I feel your pain, I quit TTS after a few days
NM
It does seem to vary from day to day, at least on my account, definitely feel your pain but overall,
good company. I have ear buds and headphones from Radio Shack and I alternate between the two, seems to give my ears a break.
I feel your pain. I was mislead about TT very badly.
There were nothing but praises and I was new to this board and all boards in general. So, after watching for a long time and asking questions etc. I took the job at TT. I stayed for a while but in the meantime I went broke, question myself, because of all the praises continuing here. It took me over 1 year to find 2 good jobs to have (to make up for money lost and I will never be brok again) to replace that awful one. Believe it or not the 2 jobs I have, 1 is highly praised here, but I only keep it part/time because it isn't all that; and the main job where I make the big money is most times trashed here. Probably in the big job the upper management does not come on the board and put false praises. Actually there are very few responses but some are negative, probably from disgruntled workers. I still come here because I like to see what is going on with MTs and the MT world, but I have to say I agree with you 100% about companies using PR falsely to lead people down a bad path on this board. I do not blame the board admin. There is the post about not making decisions based on posts here, no doubt they figured it out and they also stopped the paid sponsors so that they did not have to pull negative posts as in the past. This is an anon board, so really you have to use care, as in life, and seek out real-life references as well. I am with you, though and the lying will be stopped if Karma is at all true.
I feel your pain. The platform is horrible. nm
nm
What a good post MTIM - Feel your pain
We all feel like that from time to time, but it doesn't matter whether you are an MT or working in any other profession - some days a job is just a job. You sound like you work for a company like I did. Too much management getting in the way. That said, look at it this way. At one point in my career I made 0.075 cpl for many years (raises unheard of). I took that rate and turned it into $40,000 a year because I typed by fingers to the bone. Minimum line count of 1,200 was not enough for me, but some people will only type the minimum and then quit. This is where their problem is. It's called ambition. Of course the pay will be low if you quit at 1,200 lines. Being an MT for 5-10-15 years you certainly should be typing more than that. If you are not, and it is not YOUR fault, but because of company dynamics, it is time to find a company and account that helps you reach your full potential. Please do not cheat yourself. The first thing I would do is not answer phone calls or e mail during your shift (do this before or after) because you are going to have enough to deal with to slow you down while you are working as you described.
I do not move from company to company, never have, but I certainly would if I felt like I could do better than what is being offered to me, for whatever reason. Again, no one is going to take care of you - except you, so don't cheat yourself. Since you already have a job - go with the flow until you find what is absolutely perfect for you and you can make lots of $$ no matter what the rate ( to a degree of course). It would be nice if we could all make 11 cpl or better. I never have. I have found a company and account that is perfect for me, making good money and love the work. The kicker is, I would have taken that job for 7 cpl and because I am very good in that specialty - I could still make a decent living with it. Don't go jumping at the first thing offered to you. Think about it - and yourself. What is it that you do best as an MT. That's what you look for. Being at this for 15 years, maybe you should just throw in the towel where you are but I think you do have the potential for something else. Go for it - and good luck to you.
Does your company start with a T... If so, I feel your pain and it does no good to complain. No one
cares. Tell me how you go from over 200 jobs in a queue to nothing in a few hours. Hmmmm. I smell offsourcing. Not happy. I just got a second job and thank goodness. It will save me when there is no work which is too often for my liking.
I feel your pain! I decided to shut up rather than put up and quit my company. Better places out t
nm
The grass is not green in Radiology
Your friend may make triple what you do, but I can assure you she/he is the exception, not the rule. I have many years' experience in radiology and I can tell you this is one of the hardest specialities in which to earn a living because it is the most vulnerable to voice recognition takeover. Don't quit the 'day job' till you really do your homework about rad jobs.
greener where?
I was offered a position with FutureNet. I am not sure though. I know the acct that they are going to put me on is ESLs, not fun!! Where did you find the greener grass, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks much!!
Greener
If I might ask, email if you don't feel comfortable posting. Thanks!
I feel the same way...I love working for Keystrokes and feel blessed that I have such a wonderful jo
nm
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