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Not enough coffee yet.

/

I go to "The Stop Smoking Center" for online support.  I quit for eight years, but this past 13 months have been so crazy that I relapsed exactly one year ago.  I've been peeved at DH and stressed over a lot of stuff, so I lit up one night while out with a friend.  I quit again for three months using Zyban, but relapsed yet again after stopping that.  I do OK during the day with not smoking, but DH smokes outside at home so it's tough to stay quit being around him.  I just keep making excuses to not quit.  That means I'm just not ready yet.  People handle their emotions and stress fine without smoking.  I handled everything fine for eight years without smoking, and those eight years were pretty hairy, too..  For me, it's a question of replacing my bad emotional crutch with a good one.  (Exercise!)

Good for you for making the decision!  You can do it!  Google the support board I told you about, and I'll probably be around here if you want to buddy up or anything.

...7 cpl for a 65-char. line with room for increase. Please send resume and place "ESL MT" in the subject line. These are very difficult accents...

Is this serious??  THAT is why there is nothing left to this profession.  Applying for and accepting jobs like this is what has been the kiss of death for MTs.  I hate to think what they would pay for non ELSs - 5 cpl?

I would like to respond to a post about new job listings on the company board.  Yes, it seems the same companies continually post want ads for MTs and yes it seems like these companies in question do indeed have revolving doors, but please do not blame the MTs or complain about them speaking their minds on the board. 

I left a very good MT job because of a paycheck that was returned for insufficient funds.  I say "good" because I loved the accounts and for the most part I was content until the pay incident.  It took me nearly a year to find what I had given up.  I applied for and accepted many jobs advertised here only to be very disappointed.  I asked questions up front before accepting and for the most part the companies lie to get you in the door. 

First company gave promises of working whenever I wanted.  Said there was always work.  That turned out to be nothing but "BS."  There was never any work unless I wanted to work overnight. 

I had two job offers at the same time soon after that and I accepted the one that promised 8 cents a line.  Well I never saw 8 cents a line.  Once again it was a sham.  First off they only allowed you to type a total of 9 reports a day until off hold.  You never get off hold (months) because no two QA people QA by the same standards.  They claimed to follow the Book of Style, yet faulted you for typing things as demonstrated in the Book of Style.  Once my paycheck was over a week late and I had contacted payroll 3 times and received no response.  Another time I was cheated out of pay (60+ lines) I informed payroll and they never responded nor did they ever pay me for it.  The final straws – one day I had called for work – by the way most times there wasn't any because the pool was dry, once again you gave a schedule as to when you wanted to work – yet work was rarely there – anyway there was a smart remark about still being on hold.  I have never been on hold more than 2 weeks with any other job in the past so it wasn't me.  I followed the Book of Style – seems like some QA people have never opened the book!  They only ever checked the ESL reports – horrible dictators by the way – what about all the other perfect ones?  I'm sorry but you can only do so much with bad dictators.  And when the company fails to pay on time I don't feel obligated to go that extra mile to leave zero blanks with and ESL doctor who makes my ears bleed!  Last but not least I received a paycheck without a signature.  Yep!  I reported it ASAP.  Big surprise no one in payroll that day.  They didn't overnight me a new signed check either.  I had to mail the check back and wait another week for it to be returned with a signature on it.  I left.  There was no advancing in h e double hockey sticks. 

There was another job that I tried while this mess was evolving.  I asked up front what type of platform they used because I dislike Emdat and Inscribe.  The person who hired me wouldn't say what it was but that I would love it.  Well, it was indeed Inscribe.  Also the contract stated I would be paid for spaces – I used my own counting software and discovered I was not being paid for spaces.  There was also a charge for typos in the demographics and according to my line counter the company didn't seem to be paying for the demographics as it was.  How can you fine someone for typing something incorrectly that she is not being paid for in the first place?  With this particular job I also asked up front "Would I have my own accounts?"  I was told yes.  Nope it was a typing pool. 

Moral of the story . . . if you don’t want MTs to complain about these jobs then please do not lie to them!  Pay them on time and treat them right.  I have found I cannot make money on a majority of the platforms out there.  MS Word is the only way to go for me.  I also thrive on my own accounts so please . . . when we ask if we will be assigned our own group of doctors again do not lie to us.  A typing pool is not what I consider to be my own account!

Thank you and good night.

This one is good.

Well, I guess I'm going to be using the DQS soon and the word Expander I use currently (Smartype) is not compatible.  Since the expander is empty in DQS (other than the headings) I'm looking to get an expander that is compatible.  I believe I saw Shorthand listed somewhere here as working well.  How do you like it?  Is it hard or easy to use?  If not Shorthand, what else works and is reasonably priced?  I'm dreading the switch because it's "hard to teach an old dog new tricks" and so I want to make it as easy on myself as possible.  Any input is greatly appreciated.

Honestly, which is better?  As far as job market, earnings, and essential functions of the job?