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Last I knew starting pay was 6 cents

Posted By: per line nm on 2009-04-02
In Reply to: Transolutions - questions




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Last I knew starting pay was 6 cents a line
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Do you recommend starting with clinic notes or acute care when just starting in the MT field?
!I realize this question may be better suited for the new MT board, but this board is my favorite)

I am considering accepting an acute care position, even though I am just out of MT school. However, I don't want the learning curve to be so steep that I fail before I even begin. I would also like to have a smaller pool of dictators to transcribe from as opposed to many.

Also, are there more ESLs in acute care versus clinic/dr office work?

What has your experience been? Would you do it differently?

Thanks for any insight!
What is average? 7 cents, 8 cents, 9 cents? 65-character?
x
I also work for 8 cents a line. I left a job typing OPs for 10-11 cents sm
to take a clinic job. I made an average of $17-18 an hour with OPs, now make $16-17 an hour, but the work is easier on me. I do not call that poor pay. I type 200+ lines an hour. True, it isn't the $26-27 an hour I was making 10 years ago at a hospital, but that's gone for good. I have excellent skills, make better than 99% on QA at any company I have worked for, and some of those have been very demanding.

I'm afraid the people that are expecting to make $20-30 an hour in MT are going to be disappointed. A few can still make that amount, but for the average good transcriptionist, the pay is much more likely to run $15-20. Benefits are pretty much gone. However, I feel that what I'm making is considerably above what I could make in another field, unless I decide to teach, which I will not do. Still, I make more than I would at Walmart or Burger King, or even a secretarial job. It's my choice. Good luck to you.
The mentoring program does not pay 8-1/2 cents per line. Believe it is like 6 cents.
n/m
4 CENTS , SCHMORE CENTS. THAT'S WRONG!
Whether an MT is new or an editor, 4 cents a line is deeply insulting, and 9 cents per line isn't really too much better. You know, I understand that most of these MT companies want to save money, but most of them don't seem to want to pay what an MT's time and skills are really worth. Why not pay an MT who has been in the field for 7-10 years or more 15 or 20 cents per line? At least I might consider working for one of these companies at home if I were to be paid that much straight off the bat for having 12 years' experience, but I guess that would be too much like right...
Do they still pay you 5 cents a line and 2 cents if you send anything to QA?
xx
I have a problem with 7 cents and 8 cents a line because
...when I started 15 years ago, my very first MT job started me out at 8 cents a gross line, then went to 9 cents a gross line after only a year. I was SOOO happy and proud of myself for choosing a profession that paid so well - I imagined myself making a lot of $$ once I had 10 or 15 years experience behind me...

Well that never happened; in fact, it all went backwards, pay wise. The company I worked for back then sold out to a national, and of course the pay was cut, and 9 cents a gross line was never to be had again, at least not that I could find. I am considered living in poverty now. I started out great but have ended up very badly.

I think my own personal problem is that it's hard for me to let go the fact that I made good money just starting out and how everything I had ever learned about jobs, careers and pay was that the more experience and education you have in a particular field, the more your pay goes up as each year passes. Well my pay has been consistently taking a nosedive for at least a decade now. I actually have to work MORE to make at least as much as I did years ago, and it's killing me health-wise as far as my wrists, my legs, my neck, my back....

It also kills me that I'm going to have to accept 7 or 8 cents a 65-character line when I made so much more than that 15 years ago.

I suppose to someone who's just starting out, 7 or 8 cents would seem pretty good, though. Maybe that's why I haven't been able to land any jobs with my resume. They may not want me with my years of experience, probably want a newbie who will be more grateful about such low pay. I dunno.

I could just kick myself for wasting money on MT school those years ago when I could've spent it on a career that would actually LAST and where I'd be making great money after being in the same field for 15 years. There's just no reward to this business. None at all, IMO.

I would NOT recommend this field to anyone just getting started. To me, it's a dead field.

I'd have more freedom working at McDonalds (for a number of reasons), and, believe me, I've been considering taking a local job around my home for minimum wage. At least I'd have a consistent paycheck and would know exactly what I'm getting every 2 weeks, then build from there as far as another job or two.

Well anyway that's all. I really need a job. I'm going down, going under, and it's a shame because I do very good work and have all this experience but no one seems to want me, even the low-paying companies. Oh well.
Few cents here, few cents there stolen from you by
x
I'll add my 5 cents to your 2 for 7 cents sm
I AGREE WITH YOU!

I know an MT who sits on her laurels and whines about no work and only getting 9 cpl after 5 whole years of experience. She can type 3 specialties, won't touch an ESL, goofs off when there is work and whines when there is not. I have tried to help, but it is quite plain to me she doesn't want that help.

I have about 3 times the experience of the above MT. The only specialty I have not done is pathology. I have literally done everything else. I know the BOS 2 like the back of my hand and I have outstanding accuracy scores (even if I can't type straight here). I work as an employee and make a base rate of 8.5 cpl, which I never get because I always have some of the different incentives offered. I regularly turn that 8.5 cpl into $25 an hour and at my PT job where I get 10 cpl and faster software, I can turn that into $32.50 an hour.

I have heard, more times than I can count from other MTs that they wish they could have my income. I can tell they why they don't. It is called hang out to complain on a message board like MTStars. It is doing everything, BUT your work on your shift. It is your lack of a willingness to learn new things, even if they slow you down some. This very year, recently in fact, I was put on straight cardiology procedure notes and I didn't worry for a second that I would suffer financially. I AM FLEXIBLE and that, in a nutshell, is why most MTs will not succeed.

A long time ago I realized that if I want more money, I was going to have to work SMART, not hard. In my 15 years, I now make 5 times what I did my first year and at the same exact line rate I had then! I spend less time working to achieve that these days. So no, I can't agree with your sky is falling routine.

Most of you...your attitudes suck. If I had to have you on site as my employees, you would not last 15 minutes. The first time I heard you at the water cooler whining about your pay, I'd fire your fanny so fast it would make your head SWIM. I have eyes in the back of my head too, so when you started making that stink face you are making right now, I'd have sacked you for that, on the spot, no warning and no day's pay. The ONLY reason you all get away with this is that you THINK no one who knows you is watching and that your respective contract holders can't figure out who you are.

By and large, I can't tolerate other MTs as friends. I find them lazy, self-absorbed whiners and complainers with some the worst negative attitudes I have EVER seen! If you hate MT so very much GO GET A JOB DOING SOMETHING ELSE. I can tell you, your bad attitude, your tendency to complain, whine, witch (with a capital B), moan and ALWAYS see the most negative side of everything...THAT crap will follow you to that new career and it won't be any better than this one. You have issues and I really think they are issues for a good therapist. They are called personality disorders and many of you have them in multiples and in spades!

I think you should be completely and utterly ashamed of yourselves. Too many people are out of work, homeless, and starving this Christmas to be so opinionated and selfish.
Maybe it would help if we knew exactly
how many people were quitting, if they could maybe post on here (or maybe a less public place might be better) when they find a new job and when they plan on leaving.  Might make more of an impact that way.  I'm going to have to leave, but I don't have a new job yet.  And I agree with you about not giving notice.  They didn't give us any notice.
See? You knew better, but still...
Do you brush off your typos in your work just because it is early morning?

Some people just do not do well under pressure like that (verbal quizzes) regardless of how much they know. Get off of your pedestal.
We knew what we were saying
Both of us knew what we were saying without the extra 000's.  I just looked at my chart notes and at 9 cents per line which is what I pay my subs you lost about 15% and so probably get about 7.5 cents per line.  The first document I checked was a lot of letters and consults and so there were a lot of blank lines in that one -- which I do get paid for believe it or not -- so that was not a good comparison --forgot about that.  But I just looked at a document that had 3830 lines and 2790 words and so you can compare that.   But again I charge gross lines.   Less per line but they much prefer the less per line than the more per line but less lines.  I have weird docs.   Good luck again. 
If we knew of any, we'd all be there!
x
I knew it
Thank you so much for sharing. That is what I mean, the old bait and switch game. They reel you in, have you quit your current job, and then treat you anyway you want to. Just like 75% of the companies these days. And yes, lying to someone over the phone and the computer is easier for people. All I want in a company is work, paychecks, integrity, and honesty. And you sure wont get it here at JLG!!
If they only knew...
the clients I mean. Maybe everyone's minds should think alike.

I agree, Melissa was once an upstanding person and manager, boy was I wrong! She would not answer her office phone or her cell phone yesterday afternoon when I called and I left her messages. I emailed her that I was going to be out last night due to illness and she forwarded my email to Kathy Clemmons and Colleen Neidert. What, now I can't use my sick time either! Just try me!
I wish I knew
what company this hiring manager worked for.  I would not apply.
If you only knew!
nm
somehow I knew

Call me names if you want to....I really don't care.  I stand my ground.  Acusis is a  great company with great people.  I personally know MTs who have absolutely no trouble getting their Keystrokes in...perhaps you are spending too much time here when you should be transcribing?  Just a thought.....


 


 


No it isn't, but seems to be more than you knew. I also know how to
search the archives. 
If she knew, do you think she would ask?

wish I knew..sm
The website looks good-seems like all radiology work., but other than that, I know nothing; I haven't heard from them either. 
I wonder, too, if they even knew it was in use...
when filing a name, how would one know if w/o the copywrite?


wish I knew.. but
I received an email yesterday stating I did very well on the test and wanted to know when I would be able to speak to them. I told them today or tomorrow and gave time. So far, no response email, no call.
Uh oh. I knew something bad had to SM

be coming, since they didn't have any bad news at the last town meeting call.  Too many changes to annotate?  That's their way of having us go through the whole thing and hopefully miss even more things they are taking away from us, OR more things we are going to have to do and not be paid for.


the OP knew what she was doing and sm
I am sure she knew the consequences. She will be fine and she will get another job.

I just hope its not in an office with folks like you. I have been there, done that and no amount of money is worth that.

When it comes my time to die, I sure won't be saying GEE I wish I had worked more hours! I will be glad I did what I could do for and with my family and the OP will do the same.
Well, 2 of us knew it
But don't feel too badly. Some of us manage to be aware of cultural phenomena and the world outside of our own. I don't think any of us expect that from you.
I knew it, I knew it
Wow, I thought Iw as the only one who noticed something weird about this companyh. They pulled the same garbage on me, the 9:00 interview, on Yahoo IM? What a crock. What exactly are they trying to pull?  I also got a computer virus that I think was due to them.
Although this is something I knew, it SM

bears repeating.  MTStars is not giving out that information.  The poster in question made it clear that she gave information in HER OWN POSTS that allowed identification.


There are also accusations against 4 Jane Does in the suit, which shows everyone that nobody from MTStars is giving out ISP or identification information.


Thanks. I knew there was something but
x
I never knew they had glitches.
I'm in the dark about that.


if you knew what they paid, why did you take the job?
x
knew that was coming!
Three things are for sure - death, taxes, and that you'll start your vendetta the minute anyone mentions OSI!
I knew it was too easy sm
Probably too good to be true but I will try to straddle both jobs. My current one is a stinko place, lotsa junk dictation, no $$, so T seemed like a big step in the right direction. However, I got it too easy. My experience with both MT and nonMT jobs is if you get them too easily, there's usually a reason why -- nobody else wants it.
I knew 4 companies in NJ this way. It was not a
~
I don't know firsthand but knew
someone that worked for them once who was happy with them
I knew someone would disagree with me, but
for the account I am on, I am definitely getting the short end of the stick being paid by the report. Unfortunately, that is something you don't know until you actually work on the account. At least by the line, you are paid for what you do exactly.
Money? They pay for this? Who knew?!!!
Dear Foothills:

You are too funny!

None of us make money in transcription anymore. Veteran's in the business can remember when we used to make a living wage, but anymore?

No, we'd all be better off as coal miners because it would pay better. I'm serious. These companies are in the penny pinching business, stealing spaces, headers, footers, courtesy copies, and creative accounting so what you type is not what you get paid anymore, and they have it down to a science.

I'm guessing, but I'd venture to say in the coal mine they wouldn't tell me working for free is part of my job. What do you think?

hahahahahaa.

I'm working on an attitude today with dictators.

I wish they would all yawn, fart, sneeze, eat, cough, talk to other people, answer the telephone, play with the calculator and shuffle papers while dictating as I am sitting here trying to make a living.

Then, if they can gargle like this fellow I have right now where I can struggle to understand, I would just be thrilled! (Sarcasm).

Rudest animal on the planet?

Dictators.

Some days it would be easier for a gnat to give birth to an elephant than to transcribe a horrible dictator. Ever have a day like that?

There in is the reason we make little to no money.

AMEN.
Last I knew it was Starmark sm
and they were awful.
I knew it would come out sooner or later.

If people only knew what goes on (sm)
the deception is something else with this company, I am so happy to be rid of all that nonsense.  Sorry that happened to you. 
Thanks, Wendy, I never knew that.

New Jersey last I knew. nm
x
and thank you! I knew there was something forgotten!
nm
If we knew the answer to that one...
we'd all be working there!  We all would love to know where to go to make 13 cpl to start, where we are not on a time clock, were we have little to no ESLs, and where we are treated with the utmost respect, paid on time every time, and don't have to worry about being switched to that blasted ASR.  Boy, if there's anyone out there who knows of such a utopian place for a MT, please let me know!  I'll be quitting tomorrow!!
if you knew the company, that is.
x
Can you say overhire...I knew you could.

Don't bother unless you like A LOT of flexibility in your day.  Have a backup job so when there is no work I can work elsewhere. There is more work at night so if you like working evenings and nights this could work out for you.


I knew something like this would happen...

I got this email from super today saying that a line is not a ine due to production gains with Speech Recognition.  So they are being weighted.


A transcribed line equals a line but a speech line is 0.666666667.  We will receive corrective actions for not reaching the goals. 


I believe this means that I now have to do twice as much work to make speech equal 1 line and to keep tabs on it I have to go to a different window. 


Time to find a new job? 


well I would if I knew who the recruiter was...
But all I got was an automated email message saying congratulations, you passed the first portion of the application process and inviting me to go on to the second portion, which was the test.
Would like to apply to MDI if I knew where to do that. NM
xx
I wish I knew where you worked.
I realize you can't say on here. I really, really hope the work picks up soon for my job. Can get a bit overwhelming at times (not having work).

Does your company advertise for employees on the Looking For Jobs board? Hope so.