REV Easy Money with Transcription

Rev: Easy Money with Transcription

Receiving regular paychecks won’t probably excuse you from worrying about monthly expenses. But the internet may give you thousands of brilliant ideas to make easy money, and one of them is working as a transcriber for Rev. Transcribing for this company could provide a good source of supplemental income while making your free time more productive.

Is Rev a legitimate Transcription Business?

Rev is a prominent transcription company that offers high-quality transcription and translation services to local and global clients, including Netflix, Comcast, and TBS. Rev is currently employing in-house staff and remote transcribers to work on various transcription projects.

The service company, which was founded in 2009, openly accepts a wide variety of audio sources to transcribe, including recorded videos, audio clips, voice mail messages, conference calls, audio reports, public speeches, academic lectures, and video tutorials among others. To prove its credibility and achievement, Rev has been featured in online magazines and the tech site Tech Crunch.

If you are interested in pursuing a transcription career with Rev, you may choose among the six available job positions which include:

General transcriptionist

Specialized transcriptionist (medical, corporate and legal)

Subtitling (Translating the source video and then adding the subtitles to video)

Closed captioning (Adding captions to a video source after transcribing)

Transcript editors or proofreaders

Document translator

Rev Application Process

To begin your transcription career with Rev, you need to sign up for an account and get approved by passing a typing test. After signing up, fill out the application form and make sure to read the styling guidelines of Rev. Following the styling rules will give you a better chance of passing the test as the instructions are required to meet the quality standards of the company.

Once your information sheet has been submitted, take the necessary spelling and grammar test, and then proceed to the actual transcription test to demonstrate your typing skills and accuracy. If you pass the test, you can start working for Rev right away. However, you might need to wait for a number of business days or even weeks as Rev is overwhelmed by the huge number of applications.

Rev does not allow transcribers to use mobile devices for transcribing audio. You should use your own laptop to complete a sample transcript and submit it to the online platform. Besides, you will need a computer to provide your actual output if your application has been approved.

Here are the necessary qualifications if you wish to become an independent contractor for Rev and make money online:

  • Strong command of the English language
  • Strong research and organizational skills
  • Ability to handle multiple forms of transcription projects
  • Ability to transcribe audio at a typing speed of at least 60 words per minute
  • No prior work experience required, but preferred
  • No specialized training or certification course required
  • Ability to edit or proofread other transcriber’s outputs
  • Ability to work under pressure or with minimal supervision

With regard to working tools, transcribers are expected to possess the following:

  • Computer with moderate hardware speed
  • High speed internet connection
  • Stereo headsets
  • Foot pedals (preferred)
  • Personal contact details (mobile number, Skype, email and other means)
  • Quiet workplace for actual work and periodic meetings

Work Process

When you log in to your personal account, you will see a long list of customer audio files with corresponding project details.

For each work, the media content, length, and project rate are already listed upfront, helping you decide whether the available job will suit your schedule or not. You may claim the job and work on it according to the set guidelines of Rev, but you can’t bring the file back if you ever decide not to transcribe it.

You don’t need to install any transcribing software as Rev offers a web-based working platform that allows you to transcribe audio and submit the transcript once completed. You may use foot pedals to expedite the transcription process if you think that the built-in transcribing tool is not sufficient to do the work comfortably. As for the clients, they can download the ordered transcript in various formats, including MS Office Word, text, and PDF.

One great thing is that transcribers don’t need to stay active on the working platform at all times. But they are encouraged to check the platform from time to time to receive projects. You can decide when you want to work or how much you want to transcribe without worrying about minimum transcribed words per day.

Salary Rates

When working for Rev, your average weekly pay may vary depending on the transcription job you do. General transcriptionists, for instance, may receive between $0.24 and $0.90 per audio minute, while transcriptionists that perform closed captioning or translation are bound to earn between $0.45 and $0.75 per audio minute. On average, Rev Transcribers can deliver 20 audio minutes in one hour, which is equivalent to $8.00 per hour at the very least.

According to Rev, an average transcriber can earn at least $240.00 per month, while the top earners can make $1,500 monthly. You should not also expect a constant flow of projects from Rev as the company may only upload the audio file once the transcription order has been placed. That’s why it’s not a good idea to leave your regular job and focus your earning capacity from transcribing.

Now, if you can speak different languages fluently, you might be interested to become a video captioner or translator. Captioners are paid $5.00 to $8.00 per video minute in addition to audio transcribing and document formatting. While translators, on the other hand, are paid around $0.050 to $0.075 per transcribed word.

Pros and Cons

Transcribing for Rev may not resolve your problems where to get a constant source of income, but this company may provide the viable alternative you need to backup your regular monthly paycheck. Here’s what you can get when you transcribe for Rev:

  • Flexible working schedule since you can decide how much time you want to devote
  • Freedom to pursue other online job opportunities aside from being a transcriber
  • Higher income potential if you know how to speak different languages
  • Intuitive working platform (no need to purchase any transcribing software)
  • Freedom to select the type of transcription that falls within your available schedule, though Rev has the right to offer you some available projects

Now, let’s have a look at the disadvantage side when you work here:

  • Inconsistent flow of workload which also happens in other transcription providers
  • Transcript editors often give poor remarks even if you feel that you have transcribed the audio accurately
  • Poor independent contractor support (when you inquire about your performance rating)
  • Low starting rate for those who are interested in pursuing transcription

Rev could be an awesome workplace to begin your transcription career if you are serious about building your own online portfolio. According to work from home guide HOWPO however, you should also realize that transcribing requires speed and accuracy, which you can’t just learn overnight. Regardless though, Rev may offer you a legitimate way to make a decent income through online.

Aldrich Tan

Aldrich Tan is a duly registered Filipino architect and is currently working as a freelance writer focusing on content writing and blogging purposes.

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