Skyping and Typing

Someone needs to explain something to me because I don’t understand. I’ve been telling Paul for the past couple of days that I’m running out of minutes on my phone. (I didn’t make as much on the consignment sale from last week as I’d hoped, so I won’t be putting any minutes on until after the weekend.) In the past, Paul has spoken to the kids on Skype. When we lived in MO it was fun for them to be able to see him occasionally so that was the easiest way. He mentioned the other day that he’d like to speak to them on Skype but he still doesn’t have his camera hooked up to his computer – remember, he’s moving in with his pseudo-chick. The apartment he’s moving from is tiny so I can’t imagine why it’s taking him so long. Whatever.

Anyway, I emailed him tonight that he can still talk to the kids via Skype voice, rather than video. It does voice too and it’s free. He emailed me back saying, “Give me a little bit; still moving.” What the fuck? That has nothing to do with anything, his still moving. He’s obviously got his computer working or he wouldn’t be able to check email. All he needs to do is sign onto Skype and click “call” to connect to me. We don’t need the video. What I need explained is why he’s not understanding what I’m telling him. I can’t say it any clearer. Open Skype, sign on, click on my name, click “call” and talk to the kids. How is that difficult to understand? I just don’t get it.

Anyway, that’s enough about him. Just talking about him makes my head hurt. I’ve already had one headache today, I don’t need another. I spent a good portion of the day online looking up transcription companies. I did at-home transcription right after Dolly was born; or was it before? I can’t remember. What I do remember is that I was spending so much time keeping up with tiny kids (the boys were 3 and 2) that, by the time I got to do the transcription, I was already exhausted. It didn’t last very long. Now, though, with them in school, I’ve got a few hours a day to utilize.

The work is okay, if you can type around 70wpm, although some of the companies require upwards of 90wpm. That’s out of my league completely. I’m right around 72 so I’ll just stick with those companies. Some require a resume and will then send you a test; others have a preliminary test right on their website. You take the test and wait to hear if you’ve passed. If you have, they send you a second test. If you pass that you get to work for them. They send you an audio file over FTP and then you put it into your transcription software. From there you put on your little headphones and type, type, type. Once it’s done, you send it back and get paid.

The work can be a PITA at times, especially when someone is speaking too quickly or mumbling, but if you listen close enough you’ll get it. If not, there are instructions for you to follow to indicate that the person was inaudible. Each file will come with specific instructions on the way it’s to be typed and spaced and all of that. That’s what gets to be tricky. It has to be exact or you don’t get paid. Imagine, you sat at your computer for four hours, transcribing an hour’s worth of audio, then don’t get paid because you didn’t follow the instructions correctly. That’s why I always read, re-read, and re-read again.

The software you need – the FTP and the transcription software are available free on the Internet. There are some transcription software versions that cost money – I don’t know how much because I choose to use the free one – that I’d eventually get if this work pans out for me. And I know I’ll need a foot pedal, too. A foot pedal is exactly what it says – it’s a big box with different functions on it – play, stop, ff, rewind – so you don’t have to use the computer hot keys in the midst of typing. Work goes much faster with a foot pedal but they are expensive also. I saw two on Craigslist for $25, which is cool; but when I checked Amazon.com they were twice that if not more. I even saw some that were selling for $50 new and over $60 used. What’s up with that? Don’t the sellers know that I can get a brand new one for less? I guess not. Not my problem, though.

In any case, I applied to about five of these companies today. With the application process it takes a while; not to mention that I have to read the qualifications first to see if I should even bother. Three of them just wanted a resume; another wanted a whole slew of questions answered in the body of the resume – remember, follow instructions to the letter; and the last didn’t even ask for a resume, just asked me a bunch of odd questions and then had a preliminary test all ready to go. It was basically grammar and inserting the correct word, or correcting what was incorrect. Now I have to wait to hear back from them to see if I get to move on to the second test.

The company that had the long list of questions I had to cover in the email got back to me also. They said the pay rates had dropped since they’re always competing with Pakistan for the work and was I still interested. Hey, money is money right now. I told them I’d like to take the preliminary test and, if I pass, take it from there. They emailed me the test late tonight so I’ll do that when the kids are in school tomorrow morning. There’s also one company that I didn’t apply to yet because I have to take their test at the application process – like the one mentioned in the last paragraph – but this test is transcription. Three audio files, all of different types, have to be transcribed. Since each file is five minutes, they should only take about twenty to transcribe but I need the time in the morning while the kids are at school. I was going to do it today, after I dropped Dolly off at her second school, but I wasn’t sure I’d have the time to complete the audios plus whatever else I was expected to do as I was applying. That’s another test for tomorrow morning, when I’ve got a longer interval between schools.

I spent over 15 years as an admin, and I’m always typing something, so I’m sure I can get work doing transcription for someone. Any little bit of money will help, so I’ll just keep plugging away. I’ll keep you updated as things progress. For now, though, I’m going to see if I can speak to Joe – via Skype – and just relax for a while. My headache went away, thanks to an Advil from Ellen; I’m just tired now and need to unwind a bit.

Until next time…peace to all.