Oh, the freedom that comes with this job!

Sheeroh Kiarie is a top rated Upwork freelancer, blogger at www.workonlinekenya.com and author of an eBook: Online Jobs: What You Need To Know About Working Online

When you see someone engrossed on their laptop, headphones in place, your first guess would be that the person is lost in music, is watching a movie or surfing the Internet. If that person is Sheeroh however, your guess would be wrong. She is a work from home transcriber who saw the gap in this area back in 2012 and decided to tap into it.

What does transcription entail?

It involves listening to a recording of an audio, say speech, and typing out the contents into a document. Some refer to it as audio typing.

How did you discover that you could work online and make a living out of it?

Back in 2012, I mentioned to my mum that as much as I needed to make ends meet, I still wanted to spend quality time with my kids. She told that she knew someone who worked from home as a typist. I searched “typing jobs” on Google and discovered transcription jobs. I have been working from home as a transcriber since then.

Did you attend any training and is what you studied in college related to what you do?

 Transcription in Kenya was not common when I was starting out, so I researched about it in the Internet. What I studied is very much related to what I do. I studied secretarial studies. Transcription involves a lot of typing, and the typing skills I learnt come in handy.

What is it like working from home?

I find it very convenient as I spend enoughtime with my family, however, it requires a lot of discipline, otherwise you would not be able to do much.

What is your day like?

I start working between 8am and 9am. I respond to email and then spend the rest of the day bidding for jobs, promoting content and blogging at workonlinekenya.com- a blog I founded in 2014. There are however days that I  break the routine depending on what I am working on.

Where do you source your clients from?

I get most of my clients from an online platform referred to as Upwork, where I am one of the top-rated freelancers. Other times I pitch to clients. This means sending out emails to prospective clients  introducing myself and my services.

You did not have any professional training, does that mean that anyone can become a transcriber?

No. To become a good and sought after transcriber, you need to have excellent listening, research and language skills. You also need to be a fast typist and be in a position to determine which jobs to take or decline. Communication is also very key, hence you need to be clear and concise, open-minded and respectful to your clients.

What are the necessary tools or software that a transcriber needs?

You will need a good headset for listening, a reliable computer with Microsoft word, spell checker and a headphone jack. You will also need a transcription software and high speed Internet connection.

Are there high and low seasons for transcribers? If yes, how do you get through the lows?

In freelancing, we have a certain term, “feast and famine”. You can have some great weeks and you can also have low weeks. In spite of that, it gets better when you learn how to market your services and maintain a good relationship with regular clients. Freelancers are encouraged to have side hustles and diversify ways of making money. For instance, a transcriber can also work as content writer or social media marketer.

What do you enjoy most about this job?

I get to learn much. At one point I am transcribing a podcast on health and fitness, the other I am transcribing a sermon that blesses me. Also, I enjoy the freedom that comes with the job as I get to set my own working schedule. Another factor is that there is no price ceiling as I get to determine how much to charge a client. I share my transcription journey on my blog, and it humbles me to impact people positively.

Good things come with challenges too…

True. My biggest challenge was when starting out because it took me a while before I could land a regular and long term client. I also found it difficult to balance taking care of my family and freelancing because they were days I had to work past midnight and still wake up early the next morning to perform chores aroud the house. The other challenge that is faced by freelancers in general is that of clients seeking high quality work  on a very tight budget.

 In Salaried sectors, well-performing employees are rewarded with preferment, salary increase and additional opportunities. How do you reward yourself?

Great work is rewarded with bonuses and referrals. Getting a good rating for a job well done is also very important because often, it is the determinant of whether a prospect client will hire you or not.

Is transcribing a career option for  young people and does it pay?

Indeed it is. I see a lot of potential in  Kenyan youth. We are well read, and as a people, we have an awesome work ethic. If you are a hard worker who retains good clients, you can make an average of Sh50,000 and above in a month.

There are claims that the online freelancing job market has become flooded in the recent years resulting to decline in jobs and low pay.

That is the same thing I heard in 2012 when I joined Upwork, known as oDesk then. Nevertheless, that did not stop me from becoming a top rated freelancer on the platform. My take is that if a business is profitable, it is likely to attract many people. All that you need to do is focus on becoming better at what you do and take advantage of the incoming opportunities. Besides, there are more freelance sites coming up, as more online jobs continue.

As for the pay, it is the freelancer who determines the amount to charge the client. If you charge low, that is what you will be paid, but if confident in your skills you will charge what you are worth.

As a full time transcriber, would you encourage one to quit their jobs and transcribe full-time?

That would be a very personal decision to make, not to mention that freelancing is not for everyone - however, it is a business like any other, and not everyone has the resilience and patience needed to excel in it. That notwithstanding, there are people who have quit their jobs and succeeded in self-employment. Before you make a decision to quit, you need to understand that you are your CEO, therefore your success or failure solely depends on you. If you quit just because you heard,you could earn big money from working online, you are in for a big surprise. You need to have a more compelling reason.

How can someone interested in transcribing get started?

One can start by signing up on an online learning platform such as Udemy, and taking up relevant courses.

If you cannot afford to pay for the courses, then take advantage of the numerous free tutorials on Google and YouTube. It also helps to get a mentor already in this field to guide and advice you. Once confident in your ability to deliver, you can then sign up on freelance sites; create good profiles and bid consistently.