Ready to take your transcription skills to the next level? In this article, we’re going to offer you five ideas that can help you boost your career in terms of both productivity and performance.
1. Invest in Good Hardware and Software
One of the single best things you can do for your legal transcription career is to make sure that you have the most efficient equipment available. You’d be amazed at how much time, money, and, yes, even aggravation this can save you. When you invest in high-quality equipment suited particularly to the needs of legal transcriptionists, the payoff can be improved performance and comfort, both of which are very important when sitting at a computer all day. You owe it to yourself to find the best out there in terms of software and hardware. We have some reviews on quality headsets, audio players, file transfer tools, and efficiency apps to get you started.
2. Perfect Your Typing Skills
We know what you are thinking: I’m at the keyboard all day, so who needs extra practice? But do you regularly set aside a few minutes a week to focus on exercises that improve both speed and accuracy? If the answer is no, then it may be smart to devote some time each week to focus on improving both speed and accuracy. Best of all, as you increase your keyboarding skills, your production rate increases which can really benefit your bottom line. Here are links to some programs that can help you improve both your speed and accuracy on the keyboard.
3. Master Shortcuts
Hotkeys and shortcuts can be a legal transcriptionist’s best friend. They are great time-savers when you’re under pressure because of a deadline. Our tip is to take a bit of time to learn them and adapt them to your workflow. Some programs even allow you to make your own shortcuts and hotkeys. Software programs like MS Word have builtin auto correction that can make typing frequently occurring words and phrases a breeze. Don’t miss our review of several text expanders to help you get your pages out quickly and professionally.
4. Use Professional References
Our profession requires the use of good references, both online and off. Make sure you understand your client’s preferences and follow them using proper professional manuals. Consider investing in any of the essential legal transcription references we have listed here on our website, and maintain an up-to-date list of online references to ensure your research is both thorough and efficiently conducted.
5. Put Clients First
The single biggest determinant of success in this field is how you handle clients. Accuracy, dependability, and professionalism are the keys that will unlock your potential. When you prioritize client needs and deadlines over all else, you will notice a return on your investment that few other fields can offer. This is a people-based industry and a relationships-oriented service. Here are some ideas to consider when working with clients that will ensure your service is top notch.
If you’ve reached that certain point in your career when you begin to think that you’ve mastered your craft and now it is time to go to the next level, consider some of these ideas to help you on your way. Your training and certification program definitely got you started on the right track. However, most schools and training are focused on getting you started, but there’s just not enough time to cover everything you will ever possibly need to get (and keep) you at the top of your game. We hope you take advantage of the helpful tools, techniques, and technology our industry has to offer to help you maximize your accuracy, productivity, and client satisfaction.
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Great tips and advice in this blog! One of the biggest things to really boost your career is just working on generally saving time. Small things can be done to shave minutes away which add up pretty fast IMO. Using shortcuts is something everyone in the field should prioritize.
Hi Bev! Thank you for visiting us today. Getting to the point of quick and accurate transcription means so much to the bottom line. You’re right; it all adds up!
Great tips and ideas. For me, it’s been all about shortcuts. I also started to build my typing speed and that is really helping me up the number of pages I get out.
Thank you so much for sharing your own experience about what’s helped you most, Monica. Glad to read you’ve increased production — and your bottom line!