oh no, I just interviewed with them!. I have 13 years experience, pay did seem low but I've alwa
Posted By: yikes on 2005-10-27
In Reply to: Can I vent anony about a company I am fed up with? - sm
been paid hourly. This is very discouraging! Were you doing acute care? Were you willing to do clinic work? 
Complete Discussion Below:  marks the location of current message within thread
The messages you are viewing
are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select
the boards given in left menu
Other related messages found in our database
I've got over 10 years acute care experience and
the recruiter (same one for the last 100 years) called me and talked to me like I was an idiot. I pretty much told her to take her attitude and stick it where the sun don't shine. I also told her I can see why they are ALWAYS looking for MTs. She was a B-I-O-T-C-H !!
I've sent resumes twice over the years and never heard back. Have experience, too. nm
s
I disagree ... everyone I've interviewed with
offers benefits for part-time employees, mainly in the form of PTO, not medical, but they do all offer vacation, even though it is prorated at a very slow rate. Maybe Spheris, like Medquist, wants a whole workforce of FT employees - much easier to manage. I think that is the push - get rid of the PT employee. Maybe if they would offer to send nannies to those of us with young children, who we like staying home with rather than dumping in day care, we could work FT. What a pity.
I've interviewed with several companies and none have asked for
SSN, birthdate, or any credit information. Unless you are in a position where you handle money I don't see that your credit history is anyone's business. I guess they could run it when you provided your SSN for tax purposes, but I would certainly not provide SSN before I had a job.
I worked on site for many years. I've been doing this for 10 years... sm
I've worked on site, at home, for small MTSOs, for nationals, for hospitals. I've been paid per line, per minute, and per hour. I've been an MT and a QA. I have ALWAYS worked weekends and ALWAYS worked nights for the shift differential because MTs can't survive on 6 or 7 cents a line. At least I can't and I type 105 wpm.
I've BEEN dedicated from day 1, sister, so you are barking up the wrong tree.
I've been a QA 15 years and I've never heard
of any company only paying for the actual Keystrokes of the blank. You would literally make less than minimum wage that way. Waaay less.
I've got more experience, can do even the most
difficult ESLs, any work type, etc. and I get offers for 0.07 cpl as an IC too. This industry just sucks and if I didn't have kids at home I would find a different line of work. As it is I'm trying to find something else I can do from home, either working for another company or starting my own business.
I've had excellent experience with them...
It's not true that they never call you after you turn down a position. I can't count how many I turned down, but they kept contacting me with new opportunities better suited for me as they came up.
You have nothing to lose by applying with them and then continuing to look. They might find you a good job, if not no big deal. The leads they have given me are ones I never saw here or on MT Daily.
I've had a great experience
so far in my year with Cymed (Spi-BSO). Apparently, some disagree, and while I did have an initial experience with a somewhat cranky supervisor who eventually left, admitting burnout, my experiences since then with new supervisors have been great. They always have work, they leave me alone and let me do my work; I do have a set schedule, but if I need to vary from it slightly, it's no big deal as long as the work stays caught up. I'm sure if you mention your situation, they'll work with you. They only hire actual employees, no ICs. They only hire management from MTs (i.e., have been there and know what it's like), have been around for 20+ years, and even the work itself is good--a few mumblers, but at least 80% of the dictators, if not more, are surprisingly clear-spoken. Check 'em out.
--CTT
Not my experience. I've only found a few
companies that require weekend days. Luckily, the majority of them out there have better sense than that & know how to hire part-timers who are looking for a second job for weekends/evenings.
I've been doing it for 4 years now. There are many
options available. Lots of campgrounds have some type of connection. Sometimes they just have a central jack for dial-up, sometimes they have connections at each site, though there may only be xx number of lines for the entire campground so that you are still limited with on-line time. I found that even in this day of technology some dial-up speeds are really, really slow and it may take 4 hours to download a day of work. A lot of campgrounds now are going to WiFi, especially in the bigger cities. If you have a wireless card and the campground is a hot spot you can access their network (usually for a fee) and get high-speed access from your RV. You can use your cell phone, which I have done in a pinch, but we often traveled where there was absolutely no signal of any kind like in the Black Mountains of SD. There are wireless cards called air cards and this will allow you to access an open hot spot while doing down the road, though most hot spots are not open networks so you can't rely on that 100%. Places like B&N and Starbucks are hot spots for a few. You could access them from the parking lot so if you are traveling from point A to point B, you could just stop to rest or have a coffee and download at the same time. You can also use satellite. With satellite as long as you have a clear view of the southern sky you can get access, even in the middle of a field with no electricity (as long as you have a generator/inverter). You can get a system similar to what you would have in a residential situation and set it up every time you move or you can have a system installed on your roof that makes it much easier for about ($5000 and $99/mo). Downloads are not always high-speed and if weather conditions are severe you might not be able to get a signal or keep it, and uploads are much slower than downloads. We have utilized all of the above at some time or other. I had Earthlink as my ISP and they have lots of local access numbers and an 800#. Only twice in the 9 months we lived on the road full-time was I not able to get a signal of some type (before we got out satellite).
I recommend getting a campground directly from Trailer Life. You can find it at probably any parts/service center or dealership for campers and may find it at B&N. The don't list all campgrounds, because you have to pay for a listing, but there are campgrounds all over the U.S. listed and they list amenities, such as if pets are allowed, if they have internet access and what type of access, etc. This will help you make decisions about where to stay. You can also go on-line before leaving and print out a list of B&N and Starbucks and the like that have hot spots to use in a pinch. KOA campgrounds should all have some type of access, but they are more expensive and I don't think they are as nice a campground as some others.
If you don't already, you will want direct deposit setup and have all your bills setup to be viewed on-line, so that if you don't have to worry about having your mail forwarded so often or about paying bills on-time. I had all regular payments automatically drafted and bills like credit cards I paid on-line.
Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.
I've been an MT for over 20 years now.
Others who have seen me type say they've never seen anybody type so fast in their life. My typing speed has been described as truly amazing by others. There's no question that I have true natural ability when it comes to being an MT, so my knowledge or abilities are definitely NOT the issue here.
For years now, I have purposely worked for many of the companies out there in order to evaluate differences between line counts. I've done every kind of work there is too (Basic 4, ER, radiology, etc...). I'm a very well rounded MT.
I've found that MDI gives the absolute lowest line counts. I was able to average anywhere from 250-400 lph with all the other companies I worked for and this was after only 1-2 weeks of working with them as compared to working for MDI for years and knowing the account up, down and sideways!! So when I see people like you posting they average 300-350 at MDI, I really question this??? Also, I never had to pay long distance for anybody else either. Most other companies offer an 800 number or went internet files a long time ago.
I'm sorry you can't stomach the many negativities your company has, but in my experience, there's way better out there and I'm entitled to my opinion.
Merry Christmas :)
I've been doing this 20 years and still need
reference books and need to research. If you are putting out a poor quality product and you know you are there is no excuse. You should be proofing your reports or going back and relistening. I'm sorry life is rough, but that is no excuse for poor quality work. I don't work for KS, but I think you are wrong in putting the blame on them.
I've been an IC for 13-1/2 years and it's
bites me in the ass, it's the social security tax.
I've been an IC for years, While it has its sm
drawbacks, it also has its advantages.
A drawback is having to buy my own health insurance and having no other company benefits such as paid time off. Any time I'm not pounding the keys when I'm supposed to, I'm not making any money.
The main advantage is that I can draw up a contract with a company for hours/production that realistically fit ME! The easiest thing to do after this is stick to my commitment and schedule and things usually balance out.
Another advantage is being able to deduct expenses, reference books, computer, at-home office, some utilities, phone, gas/car if you pick up and deliver, etc. This means extra tax forms which cost$, but that's part of having your own business.
Don't forget, though, to stash away the taxes that the company would have matched for social security, etc. This is the self-employment tax.
And don't forget to save receipts for any business-related items, income coming in, etc.
As another poster said, gauge your taxes on what you made the year before if that is typical of what you usually do.
Don't be late with your quarterly estimated taxes as that will bite you in the buttocks as a late fee come tax prep time. By this, I mean that by January 15/16 (the date of the fourth quarterly payment for the year before), you should have sent in all you think you owe for that year.
Talk to a tax specialist and get the best advice. It's a bit complicated, but that's THEIR job. You just need to transcribe, pay your estimated taxes on time, keep track of expenses, and save receipts for tax day.
I find it helpful to keep a folder for the year and just plop IC-related receipts, etc., in it as they occur.
not the OP, but I've been there 4.5 years
nm
I've been with them for 4 years..
and I'm very happy there. They've gone through some management changes recently, but I think it's for the better. They've changed their pay structure also which has meant an increase for some people - in all honesty, though, not for everyone. I did take a pay cut because of the way my particular account was set up but I'm making it up pretty easily. The benefits are great. Next year on my 5th anniversary I'll be getting 3 weeks vacation. That's separate from personal and sick time by the way. I love my account and make good money with it. I posted below (or by now on the previous page!) with more detail, and so did a Transolutions supervisor. If you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to see if I can answer them. Otherwise our recruiter will be glad to speak with you. Good luck!
I've been doing it for 7 years. No
different that using a desktop. I do use an external keyboard the majority of the time.
I've been there almost 2 years now and
(guess I shouldn't call myself newer TT'r any more?) I haven't run out of work very often, or for very long. Oh, sure, over the holiday it was a little low, so I just took some much needed time off.
Other than that, the work has been as plentiful as when I started. I have a primary and 4 secondary accounts, but I'm rarely on my 1st seconday very much, and forget the other 3. I haven't seen a report from them for months! My primary keeps me very busy.
If you've been at this 20 years you (sm)
should know by now that in order to get the real skinny you're not going to get it from the recruiter, but rather the wounded. Yes, some may simply be disgruntled, but those are usually easy to weed out. When there is a pattern, you have to take some of that information into account when making your informed decision.
A recruiter is nothing more than the car salesman. His/her livelihood depends on bringing that MT in and unfortunately in some cases, he/she will do anything to accomplish that. To a recruiter, the MT is just a piece of their paycheck. Where is the incentive to tell the truth and answer honestly? Heck, they probably feel like many MTs do, disrespected and underpaid. I'd think after 20 years you'd summize that?
I've been doing this for 15+ years
that the same thing is said over and over and over again about this business. I do it in my spare time now and if I had to do it over I would NEVER have become an MT. There are MTs on this board who have been in the profession alot longer than me and they cannot believe the amount of pay ( OR LACK OF MONEY) to be made and how things are going downhill. MTSOs want more of our time for less money. Of course, I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know.
I've done that for quite a few years
I have 2 resumes; one for MT and one for regular jobs. I list my MT skills first, equipment/programs I know how to operate, and only jobs pertaining to MT, plus my education. It doesn't go over 1 page.
My second one, I leave off all the MT info. References are available upon request, but I do not include them with the resume.
If you have a lot of companies on the resume, I would suggest only listing them with the starting and ending month and year. Your skills/work types should be in the skill section. It's not necessary to repeat it.
I used to be a resume writer and my clients all had good luck landing the jobs they wanted, but that was a problem. They got the job they wanted, so I was essentially cutting my own throat. He-he-he.
I've been there 2 years myself
...and I'm never going anywhere else! The BEST MT company ever!
I've been there for 10 years sm
Although the pay is low, the platform is super easy and no one bugs you; they just let you work. They have been through a lot of changes in 10 years, but I have also and they have always been willing to work with me.
I find the dictators super easy for the most part; however, I have worked on some of them for 10 years so I know what they are going to say before they even say it. There are a couple of ESLs that are a challenge and one who is American that is worse than the ESLs. There seems to be plenty of work on my account during the day but I do type mainly the ESL pool. The people in the office are very nice to deal with as is the owner. Obviously, I think they are great because I have been there for a LONG time. :o) Hope this helps.
I've been an MT for 40 years and
I have done this dance before. Here is what you do:
1. Inform your MTSO that your pay is not contingent upon when SHE gets paid. Your agreement is with HER and not her creditors. 2. Tell her that if you are not paid within five (5) days of this request you will do the following: A. Put it in the hands of your attorney for action and collection. B. Notify the Fraud Division and Small Business Division of your State's Attorney General. Ask her if she does, in fact, have a valid business license. C. Tell her you will make a written report to the Better Business Bureau and any other consumer-service bureaus that exist in your area. I have see all too many MTs get sc***ed only because they allow it. Remember the old saying, YOU DESERVE THE KIND OF TREATMENT YOU WILL ACCEPT. Meanwhile, do not transcribe one more line. Further, you should warn her that this needs to be a one-time event and if it occurs again, you will quit. I trust you have a written contract or memorandum of understanding with her. If not, send her one, including a clause that states your pay dates are not dependent upon her getting paid by her client(s). You are not helpless. Start advocating for yourself. You can do it.
I've been there 3 years and I think they might have sent (sm)
a notice once...but the other 2 times I had to call or e-mail the person in HR and ask them.
I've been an MT for 36-1/2 years,
and never bothered with certification--until I went to work for a company that actually rewards the credential--1/2 cent per line raise for passing the RMT, and another 1/2 cent for the CMT. They also have free prep courses for both exams, AND they reimburse the cost of sitting for the exam if you pass it. So what's not to like? I took the RMT the first moment I could, passed it, got my raise (and my reimbursement) and in a few months I will join the study group for the CMT, and go for that as soon as I am eligible.
But for the first 36 years I had no use whatsoever for the credential. If one is not rewarded for it as we are at my company, what's the point?
I've been there nearly 3 years now and like it a lot (sm)
Try to get a backup account when you are first hired, unless there is absolutely a ton of work on your primary. I went through quite a dry spell with my primary account being very, very low. I finally got a good backup account. But even when things were bad there I knew they would work with me to get me more work so I hung in there and stayed with it and now I have plenty of work. They are one of the best companies out there. Good Luck!
I've been with them a little more than two years.
It has never been less than a wonderful place to work. The accounts are easy, for the most part (there is the rare exception, as with any place). The platforms are easy (I work on two different platforms and like them both). The owners have been more than accommodating when I have had emergencies and, as a matter of fact, have bent over backward for me more than once. I have always been paid on time, and the one time when my pay was off because I worked on an account I normally don't work, I simply notified the owner, and I had a check in my hands within 3 days. I've never had a problem getting hold of them. I was trained, and the trainer/QA person is available nearly instantly for any questions I may have, and it is probably THE MOST PLEASANT work atmosphere I have been in for a very, very long time.
I've worked other places, and the last place I worked was given absolute hell. I'll stick with Landmark. No employer is perfect, but they're pretty darned close.
I've been with them for over 10 years (sm)
have seen lots of management come and go, wish the latest batch would go soon. They used to be pretty flexible, right now are in a very militant mode as far as hours, production, etc. Not sure how many platforms they have, but the one I'm on requires a lot of mousing and very slow to change screens (patient info to document screen, etc), my production has dropped a lot as a result. Hoping things will turn around again somehow!
Not my experience. I've gotten real dictations sm
from real dictators.
I've no experience of a time clock either.
I think perhaps they mean the requirement to be assigned a set shift and stick to it.
But there's nothing remotely resembling a time clock... we just sign onto our platform and dive right in.
As an ex-TRS employee I still have the instant messenger, and I do sign into that when I'm working, but it's not a requirement; it's more of a courtesy to our co-workers, so we know who's around, especially if we need to ask a question.
My first day on the job at TRS I instant-messaged my supervisor and said do I have to sign in or let somebody know I'm here, and she said no, just log onto the platform and start working.
Of course, if they really want to track our logged-in time, the platform can keep track of all that.
But again... no, there's no time clock per se, nothing even close.
7.25 cpl - 12 years experience
x
With how many years of experience ?
x
I have 18 years of experience and yet
I got sent a letter telling me to reapply when I had more experience.
They would not tell me what I missed on their testing. I know I did not do that badly.
You can have them.
I have 20 years experience....
they wanted to pay me $10/hr for the first 30 days. Puleeze.
And how many years experience do you have?
nm
I have 10 years of experience, that's how.nm
x
5 years experience?
All of the companies I'm finding want someone with 5+ years experience.
Does anyone know a good nationwide company that would be happy with 2-1/2 years experience?
Gee...I have over 30 years experience
and I STILL use reference books and websites to look things up and verify spellings, words, etc. Maybe that explains why you were let go better than anything else. With the rapid advances and changes in medicine...I don't think that anyone ever gets to know enough to stop using references.
19 years experience was not enough. Wow!
I'm kinda curious who did get the job, maybe someone with 40 years experience =)
I have 23 years experience
and I still run into grammar errors; part of it was the last company I worked for made me do some very strange things. But, also, it's because since my schooling 23 years ago, somethings really have changed, and I myself have gotten fairly lax about it. The last company I worked for didn't correct anything; be thankful for the criteria, and LEARN from it. This will make you a BETTER mt.
I have nearly 20 years' of experience and have
recently started exploring options. I have been offered 10 cpl as employee and 11 as an IC with a couple of companies. The lowest I've been offered is 9 cpl as employee.
It should be 20 years' experience OR 20 years of experience
the apostrophe takes the place of the OF.
Well, my experience is from a few years ago (sm)
but at that time they were fine to work with. They always paid on time. I actually had to re-record on my account, but like I said, that was probably closer to 4 years ago now. I remember that the people were nice as well. I ended up moving on because for one reason or other they lost the account I was working on, and I was already an IC for another company at that time, but the parting was on good terms. I'd work with them again.
17 years experience.
Loved your toast!!
I have 5 years of experience
going on 6, and I was just offered 9.5 cpl for straight typing on an ER account, and I can't wait to start this week.
Ten years experience and
Yes I listen 100%.... I could never do blanks only on any of the MTs as they still all make enough errors to make the dangerous.
I have more than 15 years of experience.
It was not my fault that they could not get their ducks lined up in a row.
Just because you have 30 years experience (sm)
doesn't mean there isn't much to still learn. I too have almost 30 years experience. Believe me, when I first started with WMX, I was shown how much I didn't know that I thought I did.
I have learned so much in the last couple of years with WMX. That's the difference between a company with a good, responsive QA dept as opposed to one with no or limited QA.
I have over 20 years of experience - sm
I can't get them to answer my resume when I sent it TWICE. I know they employed a gal who had absolutely no experience so maybe they thought I knew too much or wanted to much $$ and didn't even ask??
|
