It is ridiculous to make an employment decision

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Will you be looking for another job any time soon?  Will you make more money as a CMT?  Will it make you feel good about yourself to have the certification?  Will you have time to study for the test?  Make a list of pros/cons and decide from there.

Personally, it's not worth it for me.  I don't want to support the AAMT because they're supposed to be for Americans, but they promote offshoring.  I have enough certifications and education papers kicking around that I don't need another one.  CMTs don't get paid any more at my employer.  I also don't want to drive 300 miles each way to take the test.  It's expensive, and you have to recertify every three years.

why not stick to your guns and work in something else for a while?  Who can eat as a newbie at 3 cpl.  If you work at McDonald's you would at least be able to eat!

No wonder the market has gone into the toilet.  It is full of workers who won't stand up for themselves!  If the docs want someone cheap, they get what they pay for.  I am also sick and tired of typing record reviews with mistakes from EMR and dirt cheap workers included.  But they do get the medical words most of the time.  Forget the easy words like seat, it's sit, and that drives me nuts !!

The docs will never get sued like that, so don't count on that one!

If you had the choice between a shift lead type position at somewhere between $14 to $16 an hour or production on an account with a lot of normals.  The shift lead gets you experience editing, supervising, etc., but the production account you are just transcribing. You can make a lot more money at the production job, but the shift lead will get you started in a more management type of position, which would you choose? You will be stuck at that hourly wage with the lead position, but there are possiblities of moving up with the company.  But, the money on the other account is quite good, as there are a lot of free lines.  I am just so confused and have to make a decision, as I cannot work them both at the same time.   Any suggestions, comments, or feedback?  Thanks.

I just received a letter from the IRS saying I owe over $7000 for 2003.  It looks like they say I owe self-employment taxes for that year.  I was an SE that year and employed by a national.  Is this a mistake?  Has anyone else had this problem?  I'll call or go to an office tomorrow.  I'll be up all night working anyhow, but heck knows what I'll be typing while I contemplate this...

Just wait and see what happens.  Don't panic yet.  It is not worth it financially, but worth it for the flexibility.  I just gave up 10 years of being self-employed and flexible to go inhouse for a sure job.

Am I living in a dream world thinking that I can actually find clients that will allow me to establish the rules by which I will run MY business?  Or, does being successfully self-employed in this industry mean that I must allow the clients to walk all over me?  I am flexible to a degree, but just want to be able to set limits while still being able to make a living.  Maybe I should find some other industry?

Sorry, but that needed to be said again - for all you MTSO's out there reading these boards, who think it's good business to keep losing top-notch MTs due to dismal pay rates, and simply replacing them with less-experienced (or worse, OFFSHORE) workers, here's a news flash:  

A seasoned MT in your employ is a money-maker for you, and they should be paid closer to 15-18 cpl to START... not the lousy 7-8 cpl peanuts you're so callously throwing at them. The people who are sending you dictation are for the most part huge, wealthy establishments that can afford to pay a premium price for the premium quality transcription and "I-want-it-yesterday" turnaround-time they're demanding from you.

So please grow a spine, and charge them for what you're MT service is really WORTH.  Don't sell yourselves (and ultimately your MTs) short by always having to bring in the lowest bid for an account.  You might just see more high-quality accounts, and less of the *garbage*.   And then, try paying your MTs who are lining your pockets with money a fair wage with decent benefits, and see how many more of them will stick with you instead of constantly changing jobs in search of one that pays.  Not only would it be the right thing to do morally, but it would be a better for business in the long-run.   

I'm a long-time IC, but new to applying to jobs from a forum like this and am hitting the employment trail! I've applied to jobs that I see on the Job Seekers forum just by submitting my resume on the board. When I visit their own websites, they often have pre-employment tests too. Do I go ahead and take these tests or am I supposed to be "invited" to test for them, like I hear people talking about on these forums? I don't want to take the test if I'm not supposed to yet, but I figure if it's on their main website it must not be private.

Any advice for this new job hunter? Thanks.

That might be a little too much information. 

I just got a job working for a hospital with a 3/4 million dollar transcription budget whose HIM director wants to bring all the work back in house.  He's offering IC as well as employee with bennies/time off positions.  The wages are fair, and I'm making a great line count on their software (he even let me install my own word expander).  This is a Michigan hospital, but he actually has MTs in other states who work for him.  I had to go in house to train, then I went home.  For anyone who's interested this is at Covenant Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan.