When you start down the path to a career in transcription, one of the first things you learn is that a transcription test is required as part of the hiring process. The transcription test is the best way for a freelance a transcriptionist to demonstrate their skill level, ability, and expertise. In this article, I’m going to share the benefits of testing your transcription applicants, as well as some online testing platforms that will streamline your transcription testing process.
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Why Test Transcriptionists
When hiring freelance transcriptionists, it is important to verify their skill level in order to ensure they are a good fit for your project. There are several ways to ensure an applicant is qualified, but I firmly believe that testing is by far the best way to determine if your applicants are capable of producing high-quality transcripts on time. Testing allows you to ensure that the transcriptionist you hire is skilled, reliable, and capable of delivering flawless transcripts. Requiring a transcription test as part of your application process will help you:
- Assess Experience: A properly designed test will allow the transcriptionist to demonstrate their previous experience with transcription work, including the types of projects they have worked on and their turnaround time. My test includes transcribing people who speak English as a second language because my company often transcribes interviews conducted in Europe. I also set a deadline for completing the test to see what applicants can accomplish in the amount of time provided.
- Determine Proficiency: Test results will give you an idea of accuracy, speed, and attention to detail, as well as grammar and punctuation skills and the ability to do online research for acronyms, industry-specific terms, etcetera. The European interviews my company transcribes often contain the names of European companies, so those interviews are great for testing an applicant’s research and accuracy skills.
- Test Communication Skills: Testing also provides you the opportunity to evaluate the transcriptionist’s communication skills, including their responsiveness, professionalism, and ability to follow a style guide. I always encourage applicants to contact me with any questions they have about the test.
- Consider Equipment: Testing can also reveal whether the transcriptionist has the necessary equipment to perform the job. My job description states that transcription software, noise-canceling headphones, a computer, Microsoft Word, and a reliable internet connection are required. As part of the test, I recommend you ask applicants to state which transcription software they use. You would be surprised by how many people say they use Media Player! My test also requires the transcript to be saved as a .doc file and include timestamps. If the transcript was converted to a .doc or the timestamps were typed manually, I know the applicant is missing the tools necessary for transcription work.
Transcription Testing Platforms
There are several transcriptionist testing platforms available that can help you assess the skills of freelance transcriptionists. These platforms provide pre-made tests and assessments to evaluate a transcriptionist’s accuracy, speed, attention to detail, and other relevant skills. However, they also allow you to create your own customized test, which is particularly beneficial if you serve a niche market. Below are three transcriptionist testing platforms I recommend.
ScribeSifter
ScribeSifter is made by Tyger Valley Systems, which also made The FTW Transcriber. The company’s experience with the transcription process has resulted in a comprehensive and easy-to-use testing platform that checks all of the boxes. When you create a ScribeSifter account, a web page for your test is created, which you can configure with your own logo, font and background color to match your own website. You can use their ready-made test or create a customized test. Accessing the test is easy for your applicants and built-in safeguards prevent them from taking the test multiple times. The platform automatically filters out the applicants that do not pass but you also have the option of rejecting applicants. Whether you approve or reject an applicant, the platform will automatically send them an email notifying them of your decision. For all that it does, I find ScribeSifter to be quite affordable. ScribeSifter automates much of the dull routine of sifting through applicants to your transcription company and it helps you build up a pool of quality transcribers so you’re free to concentrate on growing your business!
Vervoe
Vervoe creates tests for a variety of use cases, but they have a great Transcriptionist Skills Assessment Test. They will make a custom test for you, but their ready-made test will help you determine whether the candidate has the necessary writing skills, is capable of listening and documenting conversations accurately for extended periods of time, and can produce high-quality documents. Vervoe provides an easy process for inviting applicants to test and tracking their progress. The platform will grade tests and rank applicants for you based on the criteria that you set. It also integrates with Google Workspace, LinkedIn, Slack, Zapier, and several other programs. Vervoe costs quite a bit more than ScribeSifter, but they do offer a 3-month free trial. I feel like 3 months is plenty of time to decide if it’s worth paying for.
Free Online Transcribing Test Tool
If you’re looking for something quite basic and/or you just don’t have the budget yet for a paid testing platform, check out the Free Online Transcribing Test Tool. This test evaluates listening skills, typing speed, and accuracy. Applicants are provided with a short, 30- to 60-second audio file to transcribe directly onto the webpage. Test results include their typing speed, basic transcribing ability, and errors. The number of words transcribed correctly, matching the audio, combined with the WPM (words per minute) count gives the user an accurate result in a percentage. The downsides of this free testing platform are that your applicants could take the test over and over again until they receive an acceptable score, there’s no way to customize the test, and you would have to require your applicants to send you a screenshot of their score. You would also have to find some other way to test for grammar and punctuation, research proficiency, or anything specific to the type of transcription you’re hiring for.
Transcription testing platforms will save you a lot of time, help your hiring process go smoothly, and ensure you’re offering work to the best transcriptionists. When using any transcriptionist testing platform, be sure to carefully review the results and consider other factors, such as the transcriptionist’s experience, communication skills, and equipment, to make an informed decision when hiring a freelance transcriptionist. You can read more about how to ensure you’re hiring the best transcriptionist for your company in my article How to Find the Best Transcriptionists for Your Company. And share your tips for testing transcriptionists in the comments below.
