Review of Online Typing Jobs
Who Makes a Good Candidate for a Home Based Typing Job?
The TUC estimate about 3.7 million people work from home, and more and more businesses and companies look set to allow their employees to do so. While a proportion of these were employees of large companies, many were individuals looking to generate an income from a variety of online opportunities. Many self-employed people work from home.
For those with some previous experience, typing offers an excellent way of earning extra income from the comfort of your own home. While some scam websites may offer work they say needs no prior experience, this is not strictly true. Any reputable employer will expect a typing speed between 50 -120 wpm (words per minute) with a satisfactory average being 70wpm.
There are a number of different applications which demand typing skills and many employers who are looking for accurate, home based typists to meet their requirements.
Transcription Typing
This is a term generally applied to the transcription of handwritten or document based data into a more user friendly form eg a PDF or Microsoft Word file. The typist could be working for students or authors who prefer to write their copy in longhand or on updating an old database transcribing data to a more accessible format.
Typing from Dictation
Dictation is a term used to describe the transcription of information from a tape which the typist will then process into the desired format. This is a practice used regularly by legal and medical professionals to collate patient notes and case studies or to prepare legal data for use by qualified staff who may be working off-site.
Home based typists who are seeking employment and have good audio skills suited for transcription or dictation work could offer their services to ES Transcriptions. A recently formed sister company to Essential Secretary who have established a good reputation within the industry, ES are currently looking for typists with a good command of English grammar and who can work accurately and to a strict deadline. Applicants must have previous experience, be honest and reliable and prepared to undergo an audio transcription test to evaluate their suitability for the job.
Typing for Research and Creative Writing Projects.
These jobs are best suited to typists with a creative flair who would be prepared to spend time researching a specific topic. There is a great demand for well written, quality content from webmasters and bloggers who need to inform and entertain visitors to their sites. Individuals with a specific expertise can also find work typing instruction and training manuals or compiling essays for educational purposes.
Outsec is the UK's largest online transcription provider and employs typists with specialist background knowledge in specific fields including:
• Medical
• Legal
• Financial
• Accounting services
• Languages
• Management
They have strict guidelines for their workers and require at least 2 years audio-typing experience, a minimum of 70wpm typing speed, excellent command of grammar and a high standard of accuracy.
Typing as a Virtual Assistant
For a home based typist who is looking for a job with a little more scope, becoming a virtual assistant combines any skills which would be performed by an in-house employee:
• Typing
• Reception work
• General administration
• Bookkeeping
The most important qualifications, in addition to good typing speeds are; good organisational skills, accuracy, the ability to maintain confidentiality and a good eye for detail.
Freelance virtual assistants can earn in excess of £25 per hour, but are responsible for establishing their own client base and developing their business. Buytime is a London based company who specialise in placing Virtual Assistants with a compatible employer, matching the skills of one to the requirements of the other. They demand very high standards from their employees but the financial benefits can be highly advantageous for the successful applicant.