I have worked 2 jobs almost all of my adult life. sm

I was always raised to believe that you could do anything you wanted or have anything that you wanted if you were willing to work for it, so that is what I have done.  I have worked at home the last 10 years or so, so that makes it not so tough.  It would be different if I had to slap on the heels and hose and commute across town to the various jobs, plus try to run home to let my doggie out. 

I agree with you in that you cannot leave your fate in the hands of any company.  We have to take care of ourselves -- seems as though no one else is going to.  I always get a bit nervous with the big holidays coming up, but I figure surely with 3 jobs (1 FT, 1 almost FT, and 1 PT), I can make it through unscathed this year.  Hope so anyway ......

Sorry that you were forced into doing the extra job thing, but it certainly makes sense.  The first work at home job I had, I panicked when I ran out of work and I called the office, only to have the account manager LAUGH at me and say oh, just take the day off.  I was an employee, not an IC, and when it happened several days in a row, I did NOT find it amusing.  Oh well... bad memories.  Things are better now, and I hope they are better for you too. 

• Extra job security, anybody do this? - Fatcat
  • I have worked 2 jobs for years. One - see message
  • 3 Jobs and Counting... - GothMT
  • I have tried to do more than 1 job - olderMT
    • So, in other words, I have cut back to 1 job. - olderMT
  • I have for years. - D-MT
  • Yep, 24 hrs for national, IC for 2 local clinics, also teach kickboxing and sales rep for a clothing - Deb - not taking any chances.
    • I'd love to learning kickboxing - fatcat
      • Santa Cruz, CA - nm - Deb -
        • Deb - fatcat
          • Fatcat ......... sm - LTMT
            • Deb - fatcat
    • I wish I had the energy to do all that you guys do. How do you stay motivated? NM - MT10
      • Well, I grew up poor and had a really bad marriage and decided (sm) - Deb -
      • I'd like to know the same thing! nm - Me too
      • I stay motivated because - fatcat
        • Have to agree ... keeping the lights turned on, food on the table, and sm - LTMT
  • Yep, been doing it for years. - Larissa
  • ditto here (sm) - dln
  • I have a full time and part time job also. nm - MT and worn out
  • I currently have 3 jobs, so I am right there with ya. sm - LTMT
    • LTMT - Fatcat
      • I have worked 2 jobs almost all of my adult life. sm - LTMT
        • LTMT - fatcat
      • I'm with ya - lllandroverladyl
  • Quite a few posters have mentioned doing this..nm - Bayou MT

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I ran out of work, and it said connected and that's it.  I wasn't blocked.   There just was no work.  I do not know how long you have been an MT, but I have come to expect it.  It only makes sense.  Kids are out of school,doctors take off to be with their families, patients do not want to come in for elective surgery during the holidays, etc.   It all adds up to less work, unfortunately.  I try to prepare for it, but I guess I'm never truly ready. 

I do not know you, but from seeing your posts, I agree with some of the others who have stated that you seem very unhappy with your current position.   If that is the case, and if you have talked with management and they will not help you, then perhaps you should try to find something else.  I have worked for several companies, and most have been good experiences.  I will help if I can. 

Good luck to you.  I hope more work comes your way.  Heck, I hope more work comes my way too!  

ha ha ha ha. That's original!!  Spelling police??  You have such an original way with words!!!!  Things that make you go hmm?  What year was that? I am so laughing and laughing.

I spend most of my day doing this work.  They say come back later in the day when there is work.  You get a few hours off, but you can't plan anything. 

Not sure if you saw the post below or not, but I'm looking for extra pointers on how to make the 20K lines per pay period when the work load is low.  I'm a fast typist, have lots of entries in my expander and even have a lot of files already formatted with jumps in them to save time. I work during my regular schedule leave the downloads on automatic so that I can type when the work comes in. I've been working different shifts at different times, but still can't do it.  How do you do it?  Do you have to work more than your 8-hour shift to get the 20K when the work load is low?

Got tough so-called ESL (some Americans are worse) dictators?  Get some samples or leave blanks.  End of story.

Want to make some real money?  Go out and get your own accounts and stop relying on the companies online to get the work for you, and then expect them to pay what they are getting from their client.  That is unrealistic.

Got lots of experience over 20+ years?  On what, a typewriter when stethoscope was considered an obscure term?  There are so many new modalities that the scientific industry is moving faster than the doctors' can learn their tricks of the trade, when in turn can make our jobs much more challenging.  You think because you have 20-30 years of experience that makes you worth so much?  Most 30+ year transcriptionists barely can operate a computer.  No wonder your line count is down.  You've got to get with the times.

Offshoring is your concern?  Well I fear more the newbies being hired from these online schools that half-train, and then the companies hire them at a very reduced rate almost equal to what they would pay an offshore person.  What prejudices we have for foreign offshoring, when we have it right here in the U.S.

Now, I am all for helping someone who is new in the business, but if you are new and you think for one stinkin' minute you are going to make a lot of money, you are dead wrong.  These newbies make it worse for ones who have a lot of experience because they will actually do an intership where they are paying to go to work and learn?  Think about it.  All of these statements are my opinion, and I am so tired of people moaning and groining about this profession and not trying to be proactive about it.  Every profession has taken a cut in pay no matter what you do.  It is not just transcription.  It is everywhere.  Hello?  Can anyone hear me? 

Left there after having all my pay checks ,messed up- and we are not talking $5-10 -- mucho dollars messed up, paid late - sometimes a week late..  Losing accounts so MTs are being swtiched around.  Promised one thing and given another.  They change pay scales and do not let you know until you get your paycheck and start asking questions.  Very high turnover of MTs and supervisory staff.  Had 4 different supervisors in 6 months. Some MT's get shift diff, others do not -- depending on if they raised a fuss over it or not.  Pending class action suit over pay practices.  If you decide to work for them -- get everything in writing what you are promised and hold onto your hat --will be a very bumpy ride. 

Jill,

Unless you are a robot (and I mean a perfect robot) who never gets sick, never has a life, never wants a vacation, Amphion is not a good choice.  I am a MT who every other place I have worked has been praised for my quality ... not at Amphion, but in talking with many other Amphion MTs, I was not being singled out.  They literally expect perfect reports and don't think about typing the patient if the doc said patient, or you will lose points on your QA, which means loss of money or worse, if you get a substandard QA they put you through a week of total QA where they pick through your work with a fine tooth comb and give you detailed feedback that includes even commas (extremely stressful week). I have been counted off on QA for typing urinalysis when the doc actually said urine analysis. The QA monkey is always on your back at Amphion.

My supervisor was quite condescending as were the QA people at the time, professional on the surface ... always address you by name and they say thank you, but everything in between is quite cold and condescending.  These people totally stripped away my self-confidence in what I do. 

Mandatory overtime ... they pull this one out of the hat whenever they feel like it and make no apologies, and sometimes mandatory OT goes on months on end at an hour a day extra, and they won't let you out of it just short of providing a death certificate for yourself!

Their demographics can be extremely challenging depending on the account you get. I worked on their biggest account, and the demographics are so hard they will pay you training pay up to 2 months while you are trying to learn this extremely complex system.  I am a bright person, and I still had many questions about demographics after being on the account for 18 months. It was beyond confusing.

The pros: They pay OT always.  Paychecks are always correct.  They are extremely organized as a company and an e-mail is ignored. 

The cons greatly outweighed the pros in my situation.  However, I do have a friend who still works for them on a different team, different supervisor, different QA people, and she loves it.  It was the worst experience of my professional life, and I have 19 years experience in this field. I tried to stick it out and make it work because I know the grass is not always greener.  After 18 months I gave up and have now moved on to much greener pastures where I am appreciated and treated respectfully.

Run Forest Run.

Carole paid to have me relocated to LA from MI -- she paid the whole move, got me set up in a luxury apartment free for two months, and gave me a $15,000 a year raise just to have me local.  Wow, that surely doesn't happen anymore.  So sad when she sold out to MQ.  They promised her nothing would change, but she was lied to.  They took over and nothing was ever the same. 

I've been trying to find Eugene, the night shift supervisor, but I've had no luck getting in touch with him.  Anyone know where he got to?  Carole's birthday is May 8th; I E-mail her and try to keep in touch....Just reminiscing 'bout the good ol' days.