Instead, if I had $345, I'd put it in a money-market acct. - sm
Posted By: Flibertygibbit on 2007-11-28
In Reply to: Can anyone say OUTRAGEOUS! I can think of a pile of things better - to do with that money than waste it (SM)
and watch it grow, rather than putting it towards a bunch of fake 'certification' letters after my name, and seeing that money fly away and earn me nothing.
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Money Market accounts
MM accounts do have checks, but you are limited to the number of checks that you can write per month - no more than 3 checks to a third party. Rates are usually tiered based on your balance - the more you have deposited, the more interest you will earn.
Start here:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/mmmf_home.asp
Does anyone know any basics on money market accounts?
nm
the market will pay what the market will bear...sm
just the fact that jobs are posted for this pay means people are taking it. You have to remember - we are in a global marketplace now. We are competing against people from India, Thailand, Cambodia for these jobs. If the Mexicans could figure it out, we would be competing against them too. It's like washing dishes. Washing dishes isn't easy. Why does washing dishes only pay $5.50 an hour? Because they can find people to wash dishes for $5.50 an hour. Not only that, but MT work was getting cost prohibitive for a lot of people. That's why some other really, really smart people said, "let's find a way to make computers do this! Then we can sell the programs so docs can buy programs instead of paying MT's." Then some other really really smart people said, "let's not even have docs dictate. Let's have them point and click!" And so MT's are also competing against VR and EMR.
You may say ..."If a company offers me 7 to 9 cpl, I let them know that it is an insult to expect an experienced, highly skilled Transcriptionist to be offered such low pay and I refuse to work for them." But if your current job goes bye-bye, and you're scrambling out in the market and that's all that's out there....well, you get the picture. If you want the job, you take the job for that pay. Otherwise, yes, it's get a job at WallyWorld. Your choice.
Money, money, money, mmonnneyyy. Singing the Apprentice song.
:+
Now you know the local job market and my
home situation better than I do. For your information, I make more working parttime at home doing MT than I would working fulltime for any of the local advertising agencies. Plus, I don't have to travel or put my kids in daycare.  Thank you so much for your concern about my employment situation, though. And please, get off your 
In the market for a new computer -
I will not buy MS Vista - I hear it's a nightmare. TIA
When you market your services with a
business name and a business license, it shows the doctors or hospitals that you are representing yourself as a professional business and are not just a homemaker or housewife trying to make a few extra bucks. They will treat you with more respect and take you more seriously, and in turn will be willing to pay you a fair rate as a respectable businesswoman. Think about any business in your community or town. They all first procure a business name and a business license before they open their doors. You may be working from home, but you can will present yourself in this fashion. I would also suggest obtaining a P.O. Box to use as your business address instead of using your home address. Believe me, this works. I have been running a successful small MT business from home for over 20 years now, and I support my entire family on my earnings.
job market update
If your skills are excellent and your experience and references speak well of you, then I believe the job market is pretty good.
But!!!!
You have to look carefully at the prospective jobs.
Please, I beg of you, for the good of ALL OF US, please please please do not take a job for less than 8.5 cpl! Please!
It's a very tough market right now...sm.
I have 8 years experience and have been testing left and right for the last 3 months. I have passed several tests only to hear about the company being put on a hiring freeze and I am added to their waiting list. I have also tested and done very well and not heard anything back. I finally made the decision that I am going to go to nursing school but right now is not a good time either (my husband has been out of work since April of 2008). He finished his degree and STILL cannot find a job.
Keep faith..it will come through. Maybe instead of having to drive into town, you could send your resume to all the local doctors, dentists, veterinarians, eye doctors, anyone who maybe has been thinking they are too busy to do their own notes. I have heard that this has worked for many people. It is always worth the effort. If you are a good general Transcriptionist too, don't just stop at medical. Send you resume to insurance businesses, lawyers, whatever might be there.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Are you worried about possible MT job market glut then? I am...
nm
My family went to a flea market that is mostly run and
attended by Hispanics. There were several vendors selling leather goods, such as wallets, belts, shoes, etc. DH needed a new wallet so he picked one he liked and opened it up only to find a tag that said "MADE IN INDIA." (He didn't buy it.) We didn't look at any of the other leather goods, but found it very ironic that the Hispanics are now importing their "handmade" goods from India.
yeah, in today's job market, the
middle class is supposed to be happy we even have a job. Forget any idea of getting any appreciation for hardwork, reliability, knowledge, or any of that good stuff, just be "happy" to be working... in my next life, maybe!
So what? 8 cpl is what the market will bear. If you don't want 8, don't take a job that pays
x
Sixe of MTSO Market
Does anyone know the size of the MTSO market (how many service providers, how many software co's etc. or a good source for this info?
Going back on the market -- any advice?
Hi y'all,
Three weeks ago I began a new job doing acute care at a local hospital (part of CHS). On Friday they told us that our work would be outsourced beginning in April.... Previously I worked at another local hospital for 9 years transcribing Rad and ER notes, echos, etc. I left there because I need expensive orthognathic surgery and their insurance plan has a blanket exclusion against it. Plus I wanted to brush up on my "big four" skills.
Now I am looking for work. Boy have things changed! I really prefer to work for a hospital or start up my own company again but would work for a service as a last resort. After reading the informative posts here, I have begun compiling a list of "good" and "bad" services so I can avoid certain ones.
Does anyone here have any advice for me? Not general advice about job hunting, but more specific advice about the services -- what to watch out for, etc. I have never done editing/VRT, but apparently that pays less anyway so I don't think I will be doing that.
Thanks.
Really? Hmmmm...you wouldn't know the stock market if it bit you.
Run a stock analysis on MQ under any search engine. Yahoo stock analysts are the ones I use personally. There are advisories and analyses of MQ and Philips in the data base EVERY DAY. There have been "hold" advisories, "sell" advisories, and "buy" advisories any given day. Sorry to disappoint your disillusioned mind. Obviously NASDAQ and regular trade is better, but they are STILL in the ball game, sorry to disappoint you. And you SHOULD be happy at that if you care about the 1000s of MQ employees who have stocks, etc. But, gee, sounds like you're just a disgruntled werker!
If you're an overseas vendor here's how to market....sm
Go by medical offices and talk to them in your native tongue. They just LOVE hearing it. When visiting in places like Florida be sure to ask about the last snow storm they had last winter - that's very impressive! In the northern states talk about the warm sunny 70 degrees in February in their state and ask if they're ready for that this year.
Be sure to take brochures showing the fabulous quality of work you do. Be sure you include impressive sentences such as: "Dr. Jones said he would eat ketchup with the patient to review his lab work." After all they don't find it cute to type it like it was dictated.... "Dr. Jones said he would catch up with the patient to review his lab work."
Lastly don't forget to give them laminated card including all 25 digits they will have to use to call your native country. Be sure they're aware that all of your employees in your native country have new names.... Ben, Mary, Thomas and Amy are of course popular choices. Potential clients like getting a warm fuzzy feeling by talking to "Mary" who has a very heavy accent to the point that they can't understand her talking. But hey - she has an American name (woo-hoo!) so all is forgiven!
Be sure to investigate the housing market in your area
In my area as well as most of the U.S., the housing prices are SKY HIGH! Some say there is sure to be an 'adjustment' (downward) of housing prices in the near future. If the prices have skyrocketed in your area also, you might want to take a wait and see attitude for a year or two and see what happens? Just a thought.
I don't know your circumstances, and there may be reasons you need to buy a house right now, but a waiting period would also give you a chance to straighten up or clean up whatever is wrong with the credit.
I feel sad for my two sons, (one of whom is a store manager, but single income), as I don't see any possibility of either of them being able to buy a house at the outrageous prices nowdays.
My husband and I got lucky (MANY years ago) and bought our first house from an elderly fellow who carried the contract himself and gave us a STEAL of a price! He assumed we would default like all the other renters had and he would repossess the house. Ha Ha, not so with us!
Hey, maybe you could try advertising for a house with owner financing. Might be easier to qualify. Good luck!
This is not a new market. Is being done with all offshore companies I have ever worked for. nm
:+
you should be setting your rates according to what the market will bear...
not what you feel like getting. If you like the account, you're familiar with it and able to make good money off of it, you might want to stay at the rate you are at. As a service owner, I used to plan to hire at 7 but bring everyone eventually up to 10 cpl by 0.5 increases every six months. I also used to be able to raise the rates from the hospital, clinic or physician office every 2 years. Nowadays if I bid on a new account, I am regularly outbid at 11 cpl, with 24 TAT. I have discussed it with my IC MT's. If they want a raise, I can try to negotiate a raise from the hospital...but it jeopardizes our account. Every time you raise your rates, it's a signal for them to start shopping around. So I would say, based on what the market will bear, don't expect to be getting raises. Ever. 
Never heard of RMT. In my experience, CMT is worthless in the job market.
x
It's called competition in a buyer's market (sm)
or vendor's (hospital's) market, not low-balling.
Here are two free market listings. You can google search for
freelance writing or editing market/job listings, too.
Writers Write market database
http://www.writerswrite.com/paying/
Writers Weekly market listing
http://www.writersweekly.com/markets_and_jobs/003118_11302005.html
Yeah, but are these other companies trying to put stores in every market in the country?
I think that is what makes Wal-Mart so "evil" and scares me so badly. Soon we won't have ANYONE left to buy our goods from because they force all the other competitors out of business (particularly the small business owners) and then we are FORCED to buy everything from overseas countries/Wal-Mart.
Various analysts are predicting the housing market will collapse soon. sm
Cannot be sustained at the level it is presently at.
No I don't think so. Everytime I see postings about the MT market failing it gets pegged as "n
that's what I think OP is referring to, postings about the dismal future of MT.
You are in a global market now Darlene. If she doesn't do it, someone overseas will.
x
You're asking for part of their market! It'll be a competition
You go ahead though. Keep us all informed.
In the market for a new ergonomic keyboard. I would love some suggestions!!! What are you using??
Right now I'm looking at the Comfort Keyboard ($289) and Ergoflex ($179) that are on e-bay. If you haven't seen them, they basically look like a regular keyboard, just in two halves. I've also been looking at the Microsoft Curve Comfort and the Logitech Wave. I HATE the big, bulky ergonomic split keyboards like the Microsoft Elite. I cannot use them at all. I also tried the Kinesis Classic and after a month, couldn't get used to it either.
Right now I'm using the A-tech AntiRSI keyboard. It's okay, nothing great.
I would appreciate ANY suggestions. Price really is a factor even though the ones I listed are outrageous. I'd rather not spend a ton, but will if I have to.
THANKS!!
Does anyone have any good ideas for back and hip pain from sitting all day? Anything on the market?
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Make money? I'm not making any money because of my decision. You read my reasoning
You can agree with me or not, but don't make false assumptions please.
You're working to make money, not to spend money.
These people should be ashamed of themselves taking advantage of people this way!
I also blew some money signing up with Quixtar... The only way to make any money is to bug everyone
you know into signing up. I felt like a snake oil huckster. I hated it. I was flushing money down the toilet from the moment I handed over my money.
RUN, do not walk away! I do an entirely different side business now that I really love (in addition to my MTing, which I also love!) Find something you're good at and that you truly love doing. Then make a business out of it. That's the best way to have a side business. Selling discount toilet paper through Amway/Quixtar? Not so much.
The CMT exam is overrated. Don't waste your time & money. Use that money on
paid anymore just because you have it. There are a few CMT cheerleaders that post to people like you but they are pretty well sucked up into that association.
Yeah, money, that's it. I paid $20.00 for my dog. Money is NOT THE ISSUE
walk him daily, play ball daily, he sleeps in my office daily while I work. Yeah, I got a lot of money, NOT HARDLY. And, my dog is HORRIBLY HORRIBLY ABUSED because he wears a collar around his neck. It's people like you that make me sick. I am done defending my use of the shock collar. I am going to continue with it and my dog will continue to be pampered , educated, fed, kept warm, and love me for everything that I do for him even when I remind him that his barking needs to stop. So, with that said, I will not respond to any more of your CRAP in reference to the shock collar.
MOre than one acct
The above is a good recommendation. I have a binder with the account specifics and when I first started with them I would bring it out, review what their specifics were and so on to refresh my memory. Now after years of managing five accounts it is an automatic switch of font, margins, set-ups, etc. After a time you will be doing the same but until then, just make a binder, cards or folder and prior to starting the account bring it out and refresh your memory and keep it handy to refer to when needed. Good luck.
Patti
RAD ACCT
I get 9 cpl on two accts using ADAC/MARS, 2.00 report for mammos and 1.50 report using Meditech
acct
I got my own account by actually being a patient there. They actually gave me a rate they were looking to pay and worked from there. Also, I do not print or pick up/drop off. I speak with the office manager if there are any problems. They also have a few other Transcriptionist so we try to send the files to each other if we get stuck but if not it just gets left blank for the doc to fill it in. I have a TAT of 2-4 days.
Need Help to set up an acct.
my aunt just asked me if i'd be interested in doing some work for the doc she works for. i currently work for somebody else, so all of that legwork is done for me. i simply download from her system, type and return.
how do i go about setting up something so a doc can dictate digitally and get it to me. i don't know the first thing about it or where to start! he currently does not do digital, but is considering looking into it, so i can't really turn to them for help on this one!
suggestions greatly appreciated!
No I do better job. On acct 1 yr. nn
X
How much do you want this acct?
You could stand up for yourself and say you want XX more per line or you arent interesting in doing acct. It would be a headache for MTSO to find another MT to do this acct as well as you, but it wouldnt be impossible. Also MTSO would have time tied up in training new MT. MTSO MIGHT decide giving you a raise is worth it to her or she might decide to invest in someone else. You may have some insight as to which route she would go, but beware, you could lose acct. Again, how much do you want this acct? If you dont want to take a chance on losing it, you can hardly gripe about what MTSO is making on it.
I used to have an acct like that...
I could do 1000-1200 lines in three to four hours. I mostly did one doctor who said the exact same thing over and over, so I had a template for his entire transcription and just had to plug in specifics. Sadly that job went to India :(
If acct is on ASR, what is left for MTs
is the worst of the dictators that have always and will always be a problem. The best speakers are put on ASR to the machine can under stand it. They've got you. It is no faster that using expansions. There is no production increase, so there should be no decrease in MT/ME pay. THAT WAS THE DEAL! I will go back to cut and paste an old post that says what happens.
Get a local acct (sm)
The middle man is making money on your work. Cut out the middle man and you'll make more than $15 an hour.
hospital acct
A little more info would be helful. Medical Records? Acute care? Full time? Benefits? Large hospital? Days/evenings? Where are you (what state)?
i am on verb acct,
and there are very very few reports that actually go out word-for-word verbatim. I do keep it as close as possible within reason and common sense.
I was removed off an acct. after one day -sm
as the client requested I be removed. I don't remember being given any samples (several years ago). It was an ESL, a new acct. etc. So I did have blanks here and there, the MTSO had told me not to worry, they'd QA all the work. For some reason or other they did not, hence the work went through as I had left it. Needless to say the client was not happy, so I was removed from the account. I did not lose my job though, but I was peeved for sure about the whole thing. We eventually parted ways and I have not had that problem since.
Tell MTSO you want off this acct. ;
MTSOs are always complaining about the shortage of good MTs. Your MTSO, I am sure, would rather have you working for her on all your other accrts than risk losing you because of one bad dictator. A good MT is worth more than the sum of lines of one bad dictator. She knows he is bad and to this point, she knows you will muddle through with him. Put a stop to it. She will not quit giving you work over one doctor. I have been in similar positions and have always been taken of acct/dictator that I requested because I could not make money. MTSO is it this for money, she shouldnt expect any different from you.
Unless this is your only acct, worth more for
x
If IC, you CAN choose to do or not do an acct.
x
losing acct
Hello Patty,
I lost an acct about two yrs ago and it hurt, but I wasn't backing down. The OM of one clinic knew the OM of another clinic I typed for and they mentioned to each other how much they were paying me per line. The OM from the higher paying clinic called me and asked why I was charging her clinic more. I told her first of all it wasn't really any of her business, but the other acct I had had for 10 yrs and I billed them 50,000 lines/mth, plus I picked up tapes every day. Her particular clinic I only had about 6 mth., billed about 3000 - 5000 lines/mth, and didn't get tapes every day. Needless to say, I never picked up another tape from that clinic, but that's the way it goes sometimes.
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