Vervoe

How To Hire A Transcriptionist

Admin & Office

Complete with job descriptions, skill profiles, and interview templates. Use this Transcriptionist hiring guide to help you make the right decisions, fast.

What does a Transcriptionist do?

A Transcriptionist is a person who listens to audio or video recordings, or attends live meetings and types a written document of the conversation. The recordings vary in their nature–it can be interviews, meetings, phone calls, conference calls, and the likes.

Day to day tasks of a Transcriptionist

  • Regularly update the client about progress and status.
  • Listen to recordings and type in word per word.
  • Attend live meetings or hearings and type communication with a high level of accuracy.
  • Research on some technical terminologies to better understand the context of the recording.
  • Complete transcriptions promptly and review for any grammar or spelling errors, as well as for clarity in thought.
  • Constantly check in with the client about any specific requests or instructions.
Recruitment guide role overview illustration

A Transcriptionist’s primary responsibility is to listen to recordings (audio or video) and type it word for word. Because of this, they require fast typing skills and an excellent hearing capability.

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Transcriptionist Hiring Process

Build the Ideal Candidate Profile​

To find the best person for the role, you need to understand what the role involves. You can complete this with the hiring manager to define the role, its contribution, and the skills needed.

Write A Job Description Based On Skills

Once you understand the requirements for the role, you’ll need to understand the skills for success. You can then write an effective job description to promote your role.

Selecting The Ideal Candidate

See which applicants have the right skills for the role. Send all your applicants a Vervoe skills assessment from the expert library, or customize one for your organization.

Interview Top Performers

Your skills assessment results will identify top performers. Focus your time on interviewing those that have met or exceeded your requirements. Assessment results will also help guide which skill areas to focus on in the interview.

Making An Offer

Once you assess your candidates against these skills, you’re ready to offer the top performer(s). You should base your offer on the value that the candidate would bring to your team and your business as a whole. It is also important to ensure your compensation and benefits packages are competitive in the industry and help you attract and retain the top talent.

Admin Office sector illustration

Skills needed for a Transcriptionist

A Transcriptionist must have fast typing skills as they would be working on a lot of typing materials. They must also have excellent hearing ability as the job would heavily rely on listening to audio or video recordings.

  • Grammar
  • Transcribing
  • Listening

How to write a Transcriptionist job description

Once you’ve determined the skills required for the role, you can write the job description to advertise for your position. Here’s what to include in your Transcriptionist job description:

Job Title
What position are you hiring for?
Summary
What makes your company unique? What would it be like to work for you?
Responsibilities
An overview of the role’s day-to-day activities, and how the position contributes to the organization
Requirements
Skills a candidate must have to perform the job successfully
Benefits
Details of compensation, benefits, and any perks on offer
Use our sample Transcriptionist job description
Job description checklist illustration

Sample skill tests for a Transcriptionist

Create a free account today to access the full assessment and more from our library

Question 1

Transcribing

Question Type: Text

Please listen to the recording and transcribe.(This is an excerpt from Jamie Oliver's tips for cooking pasta)

Question 2

Listening

Question Type: Multiple Choice

Please listen to the recording and choose all correct statements

Question 3

Grammar

Question Type: Text

Is it more important for you to get the work finished on time or make sure it's of a high standard? Why?

How to interview a Transcriptionist

Once your Vervoe skills assessment has surfaced the most qualified people for your open role, you can focus on interviewing these candidates. The interview should focus on any skills that require development that were highlighted from the skills assessment.

Now you know that candidates can do the job, the interview becomes more of a relationship building exercise where you can get to know the candidate on a more personal level, understand their motivations, and how they would fit in with the team.

How much does it cost to hire a Transcriptionist?

The US average for a Transcriptionist is $42,500 according to Payscale.com, while Glassdoor.com reports it at $65,568. The lowest salary reported is at $30,000, while the highest is at $158,000. Some employers or companies can offer additional pay through commissions or incentives.

United States

Transcriptionist salaries in the United States range from $30,000 - $158,000. The average falls between $42,000 - $65,000. Salaries can still vary depending on the education, years of experience in the field, additional skills, and the location.

Source: Source: Glassdoor.com; Payscale.com

United Kingdom

Transcriptionist salaries in the United Kingdom range from £18,000 - £27,000 (GBP). The average falls between £20,000 - £22,000 (GBP). Salaries can still vary depending on the education, years of experience in the field, additional skills, and the location.

Source: Source: Glassdoor.com; Payscale.com

Australia

Transcriptionist salaries in Australia range from $45,000 - $58,000 (AUD). The average falls between $48,000 - $55,000 (AUD). Salaries can still vary depending on the education, years of experience in the field, additional skills, and the location.

Source: Source: Glassdoor.com; Payscale.com