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• Anyone work for MQ? - Cindy
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you don't get to keep jobs by "wishing" you know. I am making anywhere from 12c to 14c to 19c on my own accounts but that doesn't change the fact that technology will virtually eliminate MT as we know it in the next decade. Nothing wrong with teaching newbies how to watch and analyze trends.

"If any company offers you a position but want you to buy equipment/software up front be very cautious." If the company is offering you a position as an independent contractor, the IRS expects you to provide your own equipment. You should also be prepared to buy your own reference books and possibly even software to access the account's system or transfer files. Sometimes services will provide that but by law they are not supposed if you are working as an IC.  I had a friend who owned a service that the IRS came after. She had mostly IC's and the IRS said they weren't IC's because they didn't fit all the IRS requirements, one of which was they should work for other employers than the service. So if she had been providing equipment for them also, she would have been sunk. You can do an internet search regarding IRS rules for independent contractors, if you feel you need to be educated on the issue.

Also "If a company offers you a position at a radiculously low rate also proceed with caution and come here and ask about them."  When I started as an MT 25  years ago, I drove 80 miles round trip to go work in house for a service. I sat on a metal folding chair in a stinky, smoke-filled room with 20 other transcriptionists, banging away on a Selectric set up on a banquet table, for $5/hour. The point is, if you really want the job, do what you have to do. Remember there are probably 100 newbies applying for every job posted on this board. A service might be willing to give you experience if you trade off on pay. After all, it's basically the same thing as "buying" experience...if you work for 3 cpl instead of 6. Some people on this board will disagree with me but all I can say is I see postings here ALL the time of people in your same position.  What I did was work for cheap to break into the field.

I have recently completed a Medical Transcription Certificate Course at a local community college (made A's in every single class including Anatomy and Physiology prior to) and even have a letter of recommendation from the Head of Centralized Transcription, which was my instructor, also.  Anyway,  I was really hoping to secure an at home/online job and, even with over 1 year of legal transcription/dictation and the 5 months of transcription classes, I'm wondering if I just wasted all that time, effort, energy, money, and memory for nothing.  Does anybody have any suggestions?  I'm tired of looking at ads, only to find out afterwards, that most at home work offers are scams and most employers on here require many years of experience and won't even give a "newbie" the time of day.

I'm getting really discouraged.  I understand the importance of experience, but there are some people who actually can catch on pretty quick without a ton of experience.

Hello there but you have graduated from the wrong course to "pay" for your intelligence/ability/everyday expenses...transcription does not "pay"  it is all being sent over sea...and to be precise, "India" as India has a great college program for such and are willing to work fro 1/4 us American workers with a much higher cost of living,so I say who do we Americans look down upon...ahhhhh....would seem thouest government.

I want to give you a piece of very pertinent advice.  It comes with all the care and compassion I could possibly have in my being:

Please do not focus solely on medical terminology in your studies.  Poor command of English grammar and punctuation is as devastating as poor medical terminology. 

I cannot count the times that I have not been able to hire someone who has fared well in medical terminology but lost out due to English grammar and punctuation errors.

Please know the differences in past, present and future tenses.  Please learn the appropriate uses of commas, semi-colons and colons.  Please learn the difference between plural and possessive.  Learn how to use articles appropriately. 

You will do yourself a world of good professionally by nurturing your English grammar and punctuation skills as much as your medical terminology, etc.

The reason I am telling you this and not the experienced MTs is because I have had to argue them into a corner because they simply do not believe they are capable of making mistakes.  Please never, ever feel that way.  Every single one of us do.  We always will.  However, a mistake is one thing; complete lack of skills is another. 

Do not allow yourself to be closed in the mind or heart to improvement.  Some editors do not have good rapport, I know, but that is their shortcoming, not yours.  Just glean what you can and keep your spirit strong.   

Thank you and I truly wish the best for all of you!

Hi - Go and apply at RIUnlimited - they hire new people - they do pay for spaces - they will pay you 6 cents a line which is low but it is a good place to start - i started there when i got out of school - they will hire you - Good Luck to you!

Hello all-

I had gone to the AAMT site (now AHDI) and found the e-book entitled Getting Your Foot in the Door: Two Years' Experience Not Required. Before I purchase it, I wonder if any one has read it and if it had any good tips for an MT that does not have the 2 yrs that is spoken about so much.

Thanks in advance.

The same thing that happened with proficient transcription is happening here, so everyone beware