Work at home

Does anyone know of any work-at-home type jobs that are legit? I would like to earn about $500 a month just so that we can have a savings. I can't really get a PT job during nights and weekends since Lyla is quite attached to me, and I'm still nursing frequently. Ideally I'd like a job using the computer.

I wish I could find something in my field (health), or a research type position. What about medical transcription? I guess I can email my old professors and colleagues too. I don't see myself selling Mary Kay, and I was always skeptical of whether it really makes a profit anyway.

Niha, when you find a work-at-home job that fits this criteria, PLEASE LET ME KNOW....I'd love to join you!

Niha - I believe KMcwed is a medical transcriptionsit and works from home - FM her

I am thinking of doing it too when my time comes

Oh yes, let me know too. I hate moochin off FH for lunch money

Hi ladies,

I just got the FM and thought I'd reply on the boards in case anyone else was interested.

Yes, I'm a medical transcriptionist and I work at home. I've been doing it since I was 23 (so that's about 10 years).

In my case, I never took a lot of courses. I had already taken a medical terminology course as part of a court reporting program I was in. I decided I wanted to be a transcriptionist instead of a court reporter, so I decided to go for it.

I combined what I knew from the med. terminology course with a home study program called SUM. Back then it cost me around 600 to 800 dollars. So basically, I taught myself.

After I finished the course, I made up a resume and sent it to a bunch of transcription agencies. One of them called me, I took their test, and they hired me. That's when the REAL learning started. It was like a crash course and let me tell you, it was NOT easy!

The money at first was terrible!! But I stuck with it and as time went by I got better and faster and soon it all paid off.

I make a very good salary for only about 20 hours of work a week. Basically, I get full-time pay for part-time work.

You have to keep in mind, though, that the flow of work fluctuates. Sometimes, there's so much, you feel like you're constantly working. Other times, there's no work, and you worry about your next pay check being short. But if you can stay relatively relaxed through it all, you'll be okay.

Last month, I worked 27 days straight without a day off because we were in jeopardy of losing an account. But last week, work was very slow.

Hope that helps you!!

Great topic and very interesting!

I just have a couple of questions.

How long did it take for you to complete the course?

(This may be a dumb question) Where did you find the job agencies?


Would you recommend starting before the baby with the courses and stuff or wait until after?

And finally, if you don't mind my asking, roughly what is the salary range?

Thanks in advance for the great info and help!!

Nancy

Nancy, you can do a search on HPI SUM - you'll get tons of info to answer your questions. The 'self-taught' course is ALOT of work...you have to devote about 30-40 hrs a week to the work, in order to complete the course in just 4 months. Anything less will take you 6 months or more to complete (or so the website says). I WISH I had that kind of time....but, with Paul needing constant supervision, I'd have to give up sleep entirely to achieve this!

I'd be interested to hear how Karen's personal experience stacked up to what the website says, tho.

Thanks for letting me know. I am use to working a lot of hours, so it doesn't matter how much time I need to put in before the baby comes! That is why I was curious if it would be better to start now if that is what I decided to do, considering I have until the end of March/Mid April.

Thanks for the info!!

Nancy

Thanks for the info! Sounds like a great opportunity, but I'm not ready for more school and so much work just yet! I did look into Queens College, and they have a one semester, 2 evenings a week, course that will certify as a medical transcriptionist. It's a little under $1000 I think.

Maybe I can just babysit other kids in a few months, when Lyla is a bit older.

I'm not sure what the 'requirements' for an entry-level transcriptionist are anymore. As I said, I got in 10 years ago, so I'm sure a LOT has changed.

Back then, I got my dictation on casette tapes and I had to drive to the agency myself to pick them up and drop off the finished work.

Now everything is digital and computerized. I never have to leave the house for work. I can't remember the last time I went to the office!! ETS: All the work is done over telephone and cable lines.

If I had to do it all over again, I think I would have taken a 'real' course instead of trying to go it alone. While the SUM program definitely taught me a lot, I just think a classroom setting would have been better.

I don't think I put 30-40 hours a week on the SUM, though!! Either I half-a$$ed it, or they changed it alot since I took it. I buzzed through it in 3 months!! But as I said, I was not really prepared for the 'real thing' when I got that first job!

The salary range is pretty wide, depending on how good you are (how experienced you are) and how much work you do. All transcriptionists are paid either by the line or by the page. Right now I'm getting top pay with my company, and make anywhere from 40-50+ an hour. You don't start out with that, though. Naturally.

I also don't type 8 hours a day. I personally think it's humanly impossible, although I'm sure some people do manage to do it. Remember, every minute that you are working, you're WORKING---typing as fast as you can, as accurately as you can, for page after page after page. You can only keep that up for a certain amount of time each day, and for me, it's usually about 4-5 hours. I'll usually work 2 to 2 1/2 hours, take a few hours break, and then finish up later.

Karen, with all that typing, it's a wonder you have ANY interest in visiting LIW to TYPE some more!