We've said transcribing is more of a listening skill than a writing skill. 🤯

Most people apply for a transcription job because they figure it's easy, a no-brainer. I'll make lots of money quickly. I have ears to hear and fingers to type, right?

Then they take a transcription test and are not accepted. What went wrong?

Research states that we only remember about 25-50% of what is being said to us. You would think with all of the listening we do, we would be better at it, right? Active listening is necessary in order to be effective at your job and your relationships.

Do you want to increase your productivity? Increase your ability to negotiate and influence. We have great news for you!

Since listening is a skill - guess what?

We are going to teach you how to train your brain for effective listening, so you can be the best transcriber you can be. Nothing to it but diligence and, as always, practice, practice, practice.

First, look at the image below and see some interesting facts about listening.

So what did this chart show us?

We have been given the ability to hear, but that listening is done consciously. We need to think when we are listening.

For example:

Scenario 1: You can hear birds chirping in the morning and enjoy their soothing sounds without overthinking about it. We do this relatively easily on a daily basis with lots of sounds that are soothing and not so soothing.

Scenario 2: When your friend comes to you with a problem and needs your assistance, you will want to pay close attention to what he/she is saying to you, right? You are gathering information, wanting to understand their situation in order to empathize with them, and learning the details in order to assist.

The second scenario is going to take a lot more of your time. You will need to set aside distractions. You will need to listen to every word coming across their lips intentionally. You will need to process every word and not allow side conversations to keep you from listening to what he/she is saying.

This is important in the transcription world as well.