Looking up blanks

You said "Another thing is that if I have a blank I look it up then so I don't have to go back."

I personally find it easier/faster to leave the blanks and move forward.  There are many times that same word/phrase will come up later and I'll catch it the second time, so there is no time wasted searching for it.

• Confused... - Do all MT's proofread?
  • proofreading - KARL
  • To get in high line counts, sm - Lori
    • Looking up blanks - QAer
  • I'm like you, type, then go back and relisten. I used to just - me
  • I proof as I go - LinK
  • It takes time - newbie8100
    • You'll just come to trust yourself as you go. You'll stop replaying the - dictation & learn to trust your eyes alone. Good l
      • ...Good luck to you! You'll get there...nm - Old MT
        • I am a newbie also - MT
          • newbie - SS
          • expander tips - anon

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instructions on how to notate a blank.   I have 20 years of experience and I have only had one test in my career that I have had to leave a blank,  but there are usually different levels of reports.  One report may be very clearly dictated, clinic type work where there really isn't a lot of medical terminology.  Another may be an acute care report, possibly an Op, and then one may be a report there the sound quality is bad, an ESL dictator, or a fast talking US dictator.

The company is trying to get an idea of your skill level.  If you do very well on the first report but not so well on the second and horrible on the third, then they will probably offer you a clinic account and start you off at the bottom of the pay scale.  

Leaving a blank wouldn't count against you as much as guessing at something and getting it wrong.   I don't think leaving a blank will stop you from being offered a position, but excessive blanks would probably would. 

occasion, and if they don't they should, because sometimes you just can't hear what is being said and guessing is worse than leaving a blank.  I can't promise you that you'll get to where you can decipher it, but experience will get you better.   When I first started doing ESLs I was majorly freaking, had a stress headache every day, yelling at my family constantly, crying because I was never going to be able to make enough money, etc.  I still leave blanks, but I have become somewhat talented at being able to do ESLs.  

Don't be afraid to leave a blank.  I am surprised at all the blanks that QA leaves in my reports.  Just do the best you can and then go back and relisten like I said before.  Make samples of any dictator that gives you problems.

I had a job once where my very first day they gave me 100% ESLs.  I was going to quit that day because I just could not do them.  The MTSO told me I really did very well and to hang in there.  When I got my corrections back and used them for the next time I could hear clearly when they were saying and got to where I could do them all day long with very little problem.