Thanks experienced MTs

• Experienced MTs- Rescue me pls! - Kit Fountain
  • Is that editing VR or standard transcription? - Jill
  • I don't know if it is a "good" company, but if you're working, sm - searching
    • I disagree that 6 cpl is tops - CS grad
  • Wow..how does that work. Your making $5 an hour. Didn't minimum wage go up? If you pay or line co - Scared mom
    • Oops. How about you're or you are NOT your - Scared mom
  • Minimum of 6 cpl would have been better. Dunno about how they - are as a company. Hang in there! nm
    • Thanks experienced MTs - Kit Fountain

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Hi everyone,

I do not wish to intrude here as I am not an MT or even a student at this point, and I hope you will not hold it against me. However I need advice and after reading over the posts on this forum I felt this would be the best place to get it.

I was recently diagnosed with some health problems that are going to force me to make some serious lifestyle changes and I will have to quit my current job. My doctor suggested doing some kind of desk work and mentioned medical transcription. I have tried to find some information on medical transcription work but when looking on the Internet I am and unable to determine if the information I am finding is credible. For instance when I type in 'medical transcription information' in a search engine I am directed to MT schools and home courses and I am not certain if these are reliable sources.

I would like to ask the experienced folks on this board for information. What kind of training do I need? What are the best and most reputable sources of this training? What is the probability that I will be able to find work upon completion of my training? Also would it be possible for me to work from my home as my illness progresses?

I am so sorry to ask so many questions but I really do not know where else to turn. I want to approach this very carefully and not make any rash decisions. I appreciate everyone's patience with me as I know that newbies can be annoying. All advice will be carefully considered.

Kind regards to all,

Doug

Hello All,

I am a new MT. I was certified with Career Step in Apr. I began working for Spheris in May. My line count is 100 lines per hour. I get paid 5 cents per line. Is this pay good for new MTs? Is Spheris a good company?

Hello everyone.  I am a newbie.  Not long ago I posted about having three job opportunities and how happy and fortunate I felt.  I turned one down because the pay was excrutiatingly low--even for a newbie!  The other was occasional part-time work for a day or two every month or so.  I accepted that.  Then I accepted a part-time IC position, which is what I really wanted.

Everything seemed fine--I was so happy.  I took three different tests with this company (which I passed with high marks), an online interview, and a telephone interview.  I went through two training sessions on the company software.  And I signed all my contracts.  Now....I have heard NOTHING from them.  No letter.  No introduction to my editor.  No acknowledgement whatsoever.  I've emailed them assuring my eagerness to work with them.  But I've gotten silence.  It has only been a few days, but still, doesn't it seem strange?  In any other job I've had (all non-MT related), when I was hired, it was definite.

What should I do?  Should I email them again?  Should I send a letter via snail mail?  Should I call?  I hesitate to do that because it's a fairly large company and I don't even know if the receptionist will know who I am, since I never actually started working for the company!

I can't tell you how excited I was about this.  I felt like I really "hit it off" with the company, if you know what I mean.  I've begun testing for other companies again, just in case.  I feel badly about it.  If I get another offer before I hear from them (IF I hear from them), I'll most likely take it.

From reading this board, I've heard about "overhiring."  Do you think I'm a victim of that?  Folks, what would you do in my position?  Thanks ever so much for any help anyone can give me!

what I did was beg my way into a job for next to nothing ($5 an hour - this was 20 years ago and it was an 80 mile round trip hike). But then I got experience and moved on from there. It never fails to boggle my mind when I post a job opening and get 700 responses, including newbies who believe their MT teachers who told them that is what they should ask. Remember you are competing against 699 other people who want that job, including people who have years under their belt. So what makes newbies think they are worth that? Bottom line is, they aren't, and proof is: What does the market bear? If newbies were worth 6 cents a line, they would be hired at 6 cents a line. You cannot believe all the work that I have to do to take on a newbie. The last one I hired offered to do it for 3. She was smart. Rather than get 0 lines at 6 cents she is getting 2000 lines at 3 cents - and "buying" her 2 years experience. In two years, she will be in the job market while the other newbies are sitting at home, pouting that they can't get their 6 cents a line job. JMHO. I know there are some who will flame me for this but like I said, bottom line is newbies can't get hired for 6 cents - therefore proves not worth it. It's sure not worth it to me.