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kazmeyer posted:Was it the format with three columns, no lines around the individual cells? If so, there's something royally hosed up about that template. I've actually told them to leave me out of any work in that style, just because I can't figure out how to get it to format properly outside of copying and pasting directly into each individual cell (which would take hours). Normally I just paste into the template, adjust font and size, and maybe tweak text alignment within the cells, but I spent hours trying to get that to work and it just wasn't happening. Wow, I got one of those once as well, I thought it was just me. I haven't seen any projects with that template since then.
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Apr 7, 2012 23:01
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Zapf Dingbat posted:Okay, I've got a technical problem this time. I have a Quicktime audio file that has a drop-frame timecode embedded in the file. My transcription software (Express Scribe) doesn't seem to be able to display this embedded TC, and I can't control quicktime player with a foot pedal. kazmeyer, do I just need to suck it up and buy another piece of software? Or is there a workaround? You can change the start time with Express Scribe, just right click on your file in the Express Scribe window and click on Dictation Information. Enter the start time in the time offset box, but watch your time codes. If they stop tape or skip ahead five minutes you're going to have to change the time offset again. vvv yeah, you're right. I missed that bit. Reading comprehension 
ohnobugs fucked around with this message at 23:33 on Apr 19, 2012 |
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Apr 19, 2012 23:28
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lancelott posted:Is it a bad idea to try to transcribe on DT or FF with $5 earbud headphones? That's the only pair I currently own. The sound quality is OK, not great, and I have a good quality dedicated sound card. I'll echo everybody else and say yes that's a terrible idea that will cost you time and sanity, but you don't need audiophile level headphones either. I replaced a pair of ancient headphones with these Panasonics for $30: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014IPE4Y/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00 And it made a big difference in the amount of time it was taking to do work; I had no idea how bad my old headphones were, and the new ones aren't exactly top of the line. Coby earbuds aren't going to cut it. And Newegg occasionally has those Sennheiser HD 201s on sale for $15 with free shipping if you subscribe to their newsletter, they advertise it every few months so if you keep an eye on both sites you can probably snag them cheap. I have a pair as backup.
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Jul 13, 2012 01:50
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Slightly Used Cake posted:I know it's probably been said already, but is there some way to either make InqScribe only do a six numerals time code, or make Word change them automatically, it's not that I mind going through and adjusting them too much, it just takes time, and I just finished 45 pages of mostly short dialogue and I realized there has got to be a more efficient way for me to do this! In InqScribe, click on the Transcript link up top, and go to Transcript Settings, then select Omit Frames.
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Jan 21, 2013 22:17
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I had that same issue when I first started using the software. And is this the Transcription HUB you were talking about? http://transcriptionhub.com/ It seems like their pay would be on the low side, looking at what they charge for their services.
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Jan 22, 2013 03:38
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Looks like you dodged a bullet with Transcription HUB really. That rate is half of what a new transcriber should expect. I remember getting a very snooty rejection letter from some company that paid .44 a minute, all because I used a person's nickname instead of their full name on a test file. An honest mistake, but not one you want to make on a test. They invited me to apply again after I "learned to do research properly." I got a higher paying gig with a more respectable company instead. This outfit folded a few weeks later and resurfaced with a new name, no doubt because of their poor reputation. If I had known how little they paid beforehand I would never have applied. There are also a few dickhead transcribers out there that like to outsource work to others and then never pay for it.
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Feb 1, 2013 08:15
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kazmeyer posted:I think one of my clients is taking the piss. Ugh, I got a file earlier with (only) one ESL speaker that was apparently recorded in an empty swimming pool surrounded by a crowd. The speaker actually isn't too bad, but it's one of those where the background noise is louder than the actual interview, so whenever the speaker's accent makes something hard to understand I have almost no chance of figuring it out. This file's for a new company too, so I don't want to turn it down. Argh. And about Fox Transcription, I haven't worked for them but I've heard good things from some other newbies. Being able to pull files and work when you want is always preferable, I think. I did some work for one company that would assign files when they got them in, based on who was on in chat. I can't stand that, I just do not want to be chained to my desk all day waiting for work. I am available for X hours a week, trust me. Just assign it out.
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Mar 14, 2013 09:39
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Slightly Used Cake posted:I might cry...why does InqScribe keep crashing...not even normal crashing it just...gone....half an hour's work gone because it keeps corrupting backups...I might actually go mad! Did you install the latest update? The only problem I've had with the program is responsiveness with my foot pedal.
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Mar 23, 2013 09:04
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blueblaze posted:Do any of these places hire outside of the us? I'm in Canada, but FF and daily transcripts only hire domestically. It looks like Rev (used to be Fox Transcription) might: http://www.rev.com/careers
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Apr 22, 2013 19:48
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blueblaze posted:Thanks for all the info! I am definitely going to look into those places. I did a quick search in google using "Canada and transcription" as search terms, and found a company called Way With Word. Have you heard of this place? I didn't realize there were scammy places out there. I think I've heard of them, they're based in South Africa. Do they want everything done in UK English? If it's the company I'm thinking of, they have been around a few years and I know of people who have done work for them. Not a scam that I can tell, but they pay by Paypal which worries me a bit. As for the test, you want to show what you can do here, so I would try to label the different speakers if it's possible. It's generally better to include more than they need than to omit something.
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Apr 23, 2013 17:28
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Michael Corleone posted:I got a check and a letter last week for a settlement with KGB. The check was for about $20 and was because they classified workers as independent contractors and the govt didn't agree. Anyway, the money was supposed to be reported on your taxes this year as it was a w-2, but I had already filed my taxes. And, the check expired yesterday. The letter says the checks were based on hours worked and money earned- I only made a total of about $25 before I realized how crappy it was there and stopped working. Anyone get any huge checks, I imagine some people made out very well. I got one of those too, and it's for tax year 2013 so hold onto your W2. My check was for less than $20, still a nice surprise I guess. I haven't done anything for KGB in a few years. I quit after the Superbowl fiasco.
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Apr 26, 2013 03:51
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Crunch Bucket posted:I'm thinkin' I might smack one of today's assignments. Audio only, 10 speakers, about half of which have very similar voices, and a few have thick accents. 46 minutes of this poo poo. You don't have to identify all the speakers do you? If so 
ohnobugs fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Apr 26, 2013 |
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Apr 26, 2013 18:15
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Budget Bears posted:Anything that's not related to the topic of the interview is [NON-INTERVIEW], right? Because I'm working on a file right now where the first several minutes involves the interviewer going over legal stuff with the interviewee (like "here's a consent form, just so you know this interview is voluntary and so you are welcome to refuse any questions that you don't feel comfortable answering," blah blah blah.) The actual interview is about some things related to a high school, so does that mean that the legal stuff in the beginning can be classified as "non-interview"? I'm assuming yes, but I would rather make sure with you guys than go ahead and discount all of that stuff as non-interview and wind up not transcribing something that I should have. Some companies will want that preamble at the beginning, some won't. You might just want to ask whoever sent you the file. I will say it's always easier to cut stuff out than to go back later and redo it.
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May 7, 2013 07:30
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Slightly Used Cake posted:This has literally been a week of "The client needs this thing right the gently caress now gah!" I don't think there's really been a lot of stuff for the newbies. It's been a lot of rush and weird formats. I had a file with a guy who sounded just like Michael Caine doing a business deal with another guy who sounded a little like Andy Dick.
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May 13, 2013 05:13
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Honey Badger posted:The OP mentioned headphones and pedals for transcription, but is there a particular brand of each that I should be looking at? I mean ideally I want to spend as little money as possible getting into it since I have no idea if it's something that I will be able to do as a sustainable career. For headphones I used a cheap pair of Sennheiser HD201 for ages, until I accidentally broke them: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD201-Lightweight-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0007XJSQC/ Now I have a pair of these Panasonics which I think are a little better quality: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RP-HTX7-Stereo-Headphones-Black/dp/B001BEAI4W/ I also have a pair of AudioTechnica ATH-M30 which work fine, but I found them to be uncomfortable to wear for hours at a time: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007E7C8/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0 I would just reiterate get closed cans, and look for low bass and comfort if you're shopping around. High bass tends to pump up background noise (that's what I notice anyway).
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May 27, 2013 02:46
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Budget Bears posted:Huh, so I got an email just now saying that DT will no longer be needing my services. That sucks considering that all of the trouble was over a technological error/misunderstanding. That sucks, sorry to hear that. I would definitely give Focus Forward a try. I worked with them a few years back, and they were nice and professional to work with.
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Jun 11, 2013 07:01
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Can you make an exception in your antivirus program for InqScribe? What is your AV software?
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Jun 21, 2013 05:17
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Excel is always a horrible choice for word processing. I'd swear when I run its spellcheck it's only checking the visible text in cells. I try and do them in Word first if I can and transfer them over.
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Jun 25, 2013 04:02
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Spartan421 posted:Is there a way to do that without copy and paste and wanting to shoot yourself? What kazmeyer said, just hit [TAB] for every new cell, and [ENTER] for a new row. I have one job that's been asking for some bolded and italicized stuff, so I do that in Word and make sure the formatting's right, then just copy and paste the whole thing into Excel. Changing the font size, etc afterwards in Excel can be tricky, using find and replace is almost worthless. I don't envy the proofreaders either.
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Jun 25, 2013 04:48
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That sucks, Slightly Used Cake. It looks like ANP has a history of not paying people too. I don't know if you've heard of them, but AccuTran is based in Ontario and they do more business type transcription, earnings calls etc. They seem to have a good reputation, though I have not worked for them personally: http://accutranglobal.com/jobs.html
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Jul 11, 2013 23:57
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Does anybody know a free program that will convert .ds2 files to mp3? I think .ds2 is the proprietary Olympus format for their digital voice recorders, so transcription software probably isn't written to do them. Edit: Ended up using the free version of NCH's Switch program: http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html ohnobugs fucked around with this message at 20:58 on Aug 8, 2013 |
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Aug 8, 2013 20:47
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The Google rater reviews always seem to be moving targets. They will retroactively apply changes in standards to your reviews, which punishes everyone who thought they were doing things correctly and according to the guidelines. You might spend some time going over the current version of the guidelines, that can help. I wouldn't worry about one substandard review as long as you get a higher rating the next month. Getting a two-star here and there isn't as bad as getting two in a row. They do kick people for getting consistent low reviews, and sometimes will kick people for no obvious reason. I don't know about limiting work, usually they'll just let you go. LionBridge had a higher paying rater position for those who consistently scored five-star reviews, not sure about Leapforce. I think you had to get like six months of five-star reviews to be eligible.
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Aug 16, 2013 22:44
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Look at that list of demands, and they want to pay people less than $4.00 an hour. I think I've seen them post elsewhere, that cheese quote looks familiar. "We are looking for winners, not whiners". You can't be that cheap and be that huge of a pain in the rear end at the same time. At least they won't get any takers.
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Aug 22, 2013 04:58
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I was tempted to do that as well. No way any experienced transcribers in the US will take that poo poo job (I hope). I know why that looks familiar, someone else linked me to this one where they mention their company: http://www.ifreelance.com/project/detail.aspx?projectid=81689 Judith Chandler, I hope I never have to deal with you in real life. Edit: Looks like Judy takes on freelance work, then parses it out to other people to actually do for a pittance. ohnobugs fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Aug 22, 2013 |
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Aug 22, 2013 05:07
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dms666 posted:Does requesting work on DT go by the first people to request it for that day or by seniority? I guess there are also certain types that they don't let everyone do too. Have only got one file each of the past 2 weeks with nothing yet this week. Usually put in for 60 mins a day. It's just the time of year, as I recall it was like that last year around this time as well, just the nature of media work I think.
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Aug 23, 2013 06:10
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I haven't heard anything bad about Net Transcripts, but if it involves transcribing wire taps I'd run the other way screaming. If you want to go ahead with it I don't think they'd have any problem with you asking for more info about them; you're both feeling each other out here. It could be interesting work. Definitely ask what their rates are. And if they don't want to give that info, then I guess you have your answer. You don't want to pay the fee and find out they don't pay enough. You could even find they're just not a good match for you.
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Aug 28, 2013 01:30
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Skutter posted:Is this the appropriate place to ask how to go about opening up/running an individual Amazon store? I recently went through my huge DVD collection and I have a lot of box sets that I'd like to sell (plus some RPG guidebooks I can make money on). I've tried searching for guides online, but all the ones I can find are about becoming a Professional Amazon seller, which I definitely don't want to do. I'd appreciate hearing what other goons have done, how they run their store, keep customers happy, don't get screwed over scam-wise, what I should/shouldn't do, etc. I've sold a bunch of used DVDs, books and CDs on Amazon, though it's more of a side hobby thing for me than something I do professionally. If I can be of any help please let me know.
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Nov 6, 2013 04:55
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Adnachiel posted:Is there any way to get back into DT's good graces after failing their test? I passed Focus Forward's and have been working with them for a while now, so I can do the work. But I messed up DT's test (stupidly thought OpenOffice would work just as well as Microsoft Word and had some layout issues, I eventually got them the correct document though) and never heard back from them after I submitted it. Did DT actually say, "Thanks, but no thanks," or have you just not heard back? They tend to hire in waves every couple of months so you may not hear back for a while. If they gave you a rejection, I think you can wait a few months and apply again. edit: And you will definitely want to get a copy of Word. You don't need the latest version, almost everybody still wants documents in Word 2003 format.
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Nov 19, 2013 03:06
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Yeah, I'm not sure about that, unfortunately most transcription companies can't be arsed to actually reject you. And NewcastleBrown, transcription can definitely work as a part-time thing, though some companies will want you to take a minimum amount of work per week. You might try a company like Rev Transcription where you can pick up work when you want it.
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Nov 19, 2013 03:35
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Bifauxnen posted:I passed the Focus Forward test! Just got my tax forms and direct deposit sorted out with them a bit ago, so today I got and finished my first assignment. I've also done their extra test for the timestamp format. This work doesn't seem all that bad (yet)! Maybe after having to replay and listen intently to all these people, I'll get better about not talking so fast and stuttering myself. Just go ahead and take the Daily Transcripts test and send it to them, you can find that with instructions here: http://www.dailytrans.com/homet.html And congrats on Focus Forward! I worked for them a few years ago, they were a nice company to work for.
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Nov 27, 2013 10:27
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Hey transcribers, does anybody have any experience with text expanders? I'm looking at the 30-day trial of Instant Text and wanted to know if anybody had any experience with them or other similar programs.
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Dec 1, 2013 05:34
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Internet Friend posted:How advanced are your needs? AutoHotKey handles many text expander duties and is free. Not very, since I don't do medical or legal. AutoHotKey is the kind of thing I was looking for, thank you. It looks like I can write as many different scripts for templates and get as spergy with them as I want, and Instant Text, thought it looks like a good program, would have been almost $200 for a permanent license.
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Dec 3, 2013 03:39
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Spartan421 posted:I'm still using the trial version of InqScribe because I'm a cheapass and it saved me last night. It crashed and I had 20 minutes of stuff transcribed but it was able to recover it. I might have to buy it. It's 99 bucks, but if you are a student apparently there's a 60 percent discount according to their site. I also use Express Scribe because I feel it keeps more accurate time on things like mp3 audio but I really enjoy the hotkeys you can bind with InqScribe. Kazmeyer originally recommended it (thanks!) and I bought it a year or so ago. I don't use it on every file but it's definitely paid for itself. It'll pick up BITC on some files, which Express Scribe doesn't do. It will also do frames and it's super easy to manipulate timecodes. I've had one or two files that I didn't originally do in InqScribe that needed timecodes adjusted and I just popped InqScribe open and had it done in minutes, instead of having to listen to an entire file and restamp timecode by timecode. There is probably some complicated way to adjust times in Word using formulas or some such but drat if I have the patience to find out. The only problem I've had with InqScribe is it's not as responsive with my foot pedal, there's a slight lag when pressing/unpressing buttons, but that may be my computer. I hope it's not because InqScribe uses a separate program for media playback.
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Dec 3, 2013 04:42
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kazmeyer posted:Client: Hey, remember that 25-minute super rush single-subject interview you did last weekend? I have another one coming in this afternoon like that, are you available? Why do people think it's okay to pull that crap? I had a three-to four person interview a while back that turned out to actually be a recording of a school field trip.
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Dec 14, 2013 03:21
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kazmeyer posted:Well, to be fair, this is a per-hour client so it's not like she was actively trying to screw me, and I think there was a miscommunication between her and the customer. The main issue was that I was expecting a two-hour job and what I got would've taken more like 10. But yeah, a lot of transcription clients -- the ones that pay per minute of tape -- are perfectly happy dumping insanely difficult garbage on transcribers because a lot of starting transcribers will just suck it up and do the extra work and end up making in the region of four bucks an hour. Well that's good, I assumed they were just handing it out and leaving in the hope you'd feel obligated to do it.
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Dec 14, 2013 17:33
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Express Scribe has no malware that I'm aware of, though sometimes they package other trial versions of software that they have with the player which can be annoying, but they're easily removed. They recently gimped the free version quite a bit but if you look around you can find an older copy of the free software (version 5.10 or thereabouts) which most transcribers prefer even to the current paid version. The paid version is actually pretty cheap for what it does though, the only thing it doesn't really do is quicktime files, which probably won't be an issue with Focus Forward. She should be able to use InqScribe as well if you want to go that route. The FTW transcriber is also a nice cheap transcribing program: http://theftwtranscriber.com/
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Dec 17, 2013 02:28
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Derek79 posted:Thanks for the answers. So, even though they are cheap, something like these would be OK? You might not want to go that cheap, in my experience anything under the $20 mark tends to fall apart pretty quickly. I've also got a pair of Panasonic RP-HTX7 in girly pink.
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Dec 21, 2013 02:14
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Slightly Used Cake posted:Is anyone actually working for Appenscribe? 10 hours a week minimum, hmm. Seems steep. Is that 10 audio hours?
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Jan 24, 2014 05:11
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Bifauxnen posted:I noticed that exact same thing, I was just waiting around till someone in this thread linked me to the DT test page. I was especially confused since even right there on the test page, it says there's a "strict 24-hour turnaround", like you were supposed to complete it within a day once they gave you the test. Instead I've just been sitting on it, not wanting to bother with it while I had work coming from Focus Forward instead. Trust me, your test will not be 100 percent perfect. Just let them know you're taking the test, take it, submit it, and with luck you'll be in the pool for their next round of hirings.
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Feb 7, 2014 02:06
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I haven't done work for them personally, but Way With Words has an Australian office. I think they were originally based in South Africa and they do hire transcribers from different countries: http://www.transcriptionaustralasia.com/
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Feb 24, 2014 06:39
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