Users of Scribie upload audio files of phone calls, interviews,
podcasts, videos, webinars, dictation, etc., to be transcribed by the
company’s global team of freelance transcriptionists. You can see the full list of home-based transcription opportunities here.
Types of C Opportunities at Scribie
Scribie contracts with work-at-home transcriptionists, transcription reviewers,
and proofreaders. Customers’ audio files are divided into 6-minute
segments, and transcriptionists listen to the segments and transcribe.
Reviewers then check the work of the transcribers, listening to the
audio and reading the text. An experienced transcriber can become a
reviewer and then a self-reviewer who checks their own work. Turnaround
time (TAT) for these audio segments is two hours. Proofreaders—which are
drawn from the ranks of the best transcribers and reviewers—look over
the final product with all the segments put together.
How Scribie Works
After being accepted as a transcriber, you can log in and select any
files, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Assignments must be submitted within the 2-hour turnaround time window,
but a 1-hour extension is permitted.
All work is graded on a 5-point scale, with 1 being poor and 5 being
excellent. After 10 transcripts with an average grade above 2.75, you
may be promoted as a reviewer. After 10 review submissions with an
average grade above 3.25, you may be promoted to a self-reviewer. As a
self-reviewer, you can select the same file for transcription and
review, effectively doubling your payment rate. If your average grade
falls below 2.75, you will not be able to choose any assignments, but
you can still accrue referral and affiliate commissions.
Pay and Benefits
All Scribie’s transcribers, reviewers, and proofreaders are hired as
independent contractors, meaning there are no benefits and no guarantee
of a minimum wage. Read more about how and what data entry companies pay.
Payment is $10 per audio hour for transcribers and reviewers. Audio
hour means the minutes of the actual recorded audio, not the time it
takes to review or transcribe it. One 6-minute segment is worth $1, and
Scribie says the average time it takes for one 6-minute audio file is 18
minutes, making the average hourly rate just over $3 per hour. However,
there is a $10 monthly bonus for every three audio hours submitted, and
there are opportunities for commissions based on referrals of customers
and other transcribers.
Payments for completed and reviewed work are immediately credited to
your Scribie account and can be transferred to your PayPal account at
any time, though there is a penalty for withdrawing from an account with
less than $30.
Qualifications and Requirements
The main qualification for this work-at-home job is efficiently transcribing a test file. To do that, you will need a fast typing speed, and good listening and comprehension skills in English—including American, British, Australian, and Indian accented English.
As an independent contractor, you will have to supply your own
equipment and supplies. You will need a computer, Internet connection,
headset, Firefox, Chrome or Safari web browser, and the latest version
of Adobe Flash Player. Downloading the free software ExpressScribe or
other transcription software is also helpful.
A verified PayPal account (linked to a bank account or credit card)
is required for payment, and not having one will hurt your employment
opportunity. Other than that, there are no residency requirements.
Scribie uses transcribers from around the world, with most coming from
the United States, Philippines, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Applying to Scribie
The first step is to submit an application on the Scribie website then
confirm your email address. Although applications will be accepted or
rejected within one business day, if yours is accepted, you will be put
on a waiting list to take the application test. The estimated waiting
period is a little over a year. When contacted for the test, you will
create an account, log in, and choose from a list of files to
transcribe. After transcribing the file, your submission will be
reviewed, and you will either be accepted as a transcriber (and paid for
the test file) or rejected. You can get up to 10 attempts, so if you're rejected, just try again.