Transcription is one of the fastest growing telecommunication jobs currently out there. Many people think that the transcription profession is a very complex job, but the profession is quite simple and yet challenging at the same time. Transcription is the art of changing recorded video or audio signals into text format. It just requires good listening skill.

Transcription work was first started in 1960s. Transcription instruments have changed over the years, from the manual typewriters to modern computers and word processors. Audio files have also changed from magnetic belts to Voice Recognition Systems.

A person looking for a job in transcription should possess good listening skills and good typing skills. You will also need a computer with a good headset and perfect Internet connection so you never lose the opportunity to work. However, it is always better to undergo some training before looking for transcription jobs. Several training institutions provide training in transcription.

Transcription jobs can be taken up as a full-time job or as a part-time job. A lot of individuals use this as an opportunity to be a freelance transcription worker. Before taking it as a freelancing job from home it is better to work in an organization and gain experience.

There are several kinds of transcription services; generic transcription, medical transcription and legal transcription.

Generic transcription does not require much training as required by medical and legal transcription jobs. Generic transcription include transcription of classroom discussions and presentations this requires only good listening skills.

Legal transcription specialists are required in large number in developed countries. These legal professionals can also start their own business or they can even work from home.

Legal transcription is steadily becoming a popular trend because of its professional and efficient influence in the legal field. The job of a legal transcription professional is to listen to the dictations from legal professionals and typing it into grammatically correct document format. These transcription professionals’ generally listen to pleadings, court hearings, testimonies and interrogations and convert them into easily understandable word document that will later turn into record.

Legal transcription specialists are employed in insurance companies, large corporations, banks and government departments. They also work for privately practicing lawyers, who have a large number of cases.

To become a good legal transcription specialist a person should have good knowledge of legal terminologies and good command over written English. The documents prepared by these transcription professionals are then becoming legal records that are used by lawyers for future reference. So, they should make sure that their documents are grammatically perfect.

In the job market legal transcription specialists are in great demand and there is also only less competition in this field. Students looking for a good career can take up legal transcription as a profession by developing their knowledge of legal terminologies.

Some companies are also hiring retired lawyers as legal transcription specialists since they have good knowledge of legal terms and they are not getting youngsters with sound knowledge of legal terminologies. Some companies are also outsourcing this job for a lower cost. So, the legal transcription professionals can also work from home for these companies.

Thus, legal transcription specialists play an important role in the security of the legal records of the company for which they work.

Medical Transcription involves listening to audio recording of diagnoses, medical reports and there is other documents sent to them by insurance companies, hospitals and doctors. Most of this is sent to them as a file or recording on some sort of device by a nurse, doctor or health professional. So medical transcription professionals not only requires good listening skills, but also required good typing skills.  They should also have good knowledge of medical terminologies. They should listen the medical terms carefully and convert into easily understandable word format. They should be very careful in their work since this is something related to health.

Many institutions are offering training for medical transcription which can be done through distance learning. Diploma or certificate programs through a traditional school can also be taken. Some hospitals are also conducting medical transcription specialist training programs. Hospitals employing medical transcription specialists insist on Medical transcription certification since they should have thorough knowledge of medial terms.  They should have the ability to listen to the audio and transcribe both at the same time.

Medical transcription specialists are in great demand in developing countries like India and China, where several BPO companies are emerging nowadays. So people interested in becoming a transcription professional can either take up general or legal or medical transcription as their profession.