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Keystrokes - For ALL - FORMERS, CURRRENTS, FUTURES, NEWBIES - Everyone
Posted: Jun 24, 2011
To All Interested,
I am a current employee of Keystrokes now for approximately 6 weeks. I have been a transcriptionist for approximately 20 years. I thought I would share my experience since there have been so many questions about this company in the past few months.
First of all, I am doing this because there is so much bickering back and forth regarding what kind of company Keystrokes is to work for. I can tell you right now, when a company has 600+ MTs, not everyone is going to have the same experience, and not everyone is going to be 100% happy. However, so far I have found Keystrokes to be good to work for. My account has been plentiful, except during the holiday at which time I was offered a secondary account to work on. I have been offered overtime AT THE OVERTIME RATE!! DID EVERYONE HEAR THAT,??? THEY PAID ME OVERTIME.
Now for you sour grape eaters down below - the complainers who bought equipment - who didn't know the BOS - who didn't want majority of operative notes - this is the rest of my story:
I, too, bought equipment because I CHOSE to work for Keystrokes where I needed my OWN EQUIPMENT instead of finding a company who provided it, as I had done in the past. Did I need all of the equipment I needed on the account I was placed?? NO! But they have numerous accounts with different platforms, and I will be prepared if I ever need to be placed on a different account in a hurry, right?!?
Now, the Book of Style Lady!! My last company didn't use the BOS, but I CHOSE to work for Keystrokes who uses the BOS as THEIR guide. I knew that going in. I welcome all feedback, and I keep my NEW BOS right next to me for reference!!
As far as my account? Well, it is plentiful. I was to be placed on acute care. Yes, it is acute care, PLUS!!! Could I complain that I didn't ask for the extra work? SURE I COULD!!! Why would I complain when so many MTs at other companies don't have work at all? It's only going to make me a better MT.
It seems to me that some of you just want EVERYTHING YOUR WAY, and you give nothing at all. Everything has NOT been perfect since I have started, but I do know things could be a lot worse. Keystrokes really strives to please their employees, but not everyone is perfect and not every one can be pleased!
In response--- - Old and Tired MT
[ In Reply To ..]You say I "don't know the BOS"-- which is totally untrue. I DO know it for what it is-- put out by a bunch of AAMT biddies who change it every year so they can sell the "new improved edition" to fill their coffers because most of us have dropped our membership and they have no other way to soak us for money. I was a CMT for 18 years, have 35+ years experience, and was not about to have some newbie QA person tell me where to put a comma. It was also in my agreement that I WOULD be given a variety of acute care work, not continual op reports by the worst of the worst dictators on a horrible C-phone dictation system that you could not even HEAR, much less understand. If that is wanting everything my way, well, yes-- I expect to be able to hear the dictation clearly on a decent system in order to transcribe it correctly. I don't think that is too much to ask of an employer. I'm so glad that you are happy with your BOS, your job, and all the people you work for. I hope it lasts after you have been there awhile.
Different strokes - x-Keystrokes
[ In Reply To ..]While your experience (thus far) has been positive, mine was quite different. I'm a well-rounded transcriptionist. I don't complain. I do the work. However, Keystrokes put me on an account where making money was a joke. I was asked to be trained by another MT - seriously. She had no idea HOW to train. 75% of the dictators were unintelligible. When I asked how we were supposed to so them, I was told to either skip them (WHAT?) or to look up old reports to try and figure out what was being said. Some of these reports were 20 seconds long. So I was supposed to either skip them (which as a good MT just was NOT IMO good practice) or spend 5 minutes trying to earn 3 lines of pay. When I tried to talk to my team lead, she essentially said tough nuggies, you stay where you are for 90 days. Well, in 90 days, I'd have lost my home.
With ALL of the big companies it truly is luck of the draw. You get dealt an account, a team lead, a manager, a pay rate. And no matter who good you are, if you get the short end of the stick, too bad so sad.
Thankfully, I quickly found another job and that's working out well. Still with some challenges, but my paycheck allows me to pay for the house AND eat, something that's becoming a rarity in MT.
nice for you, but - anon KSer
[ In Reply To ..]Come back and update us about once a month.
I agree that MTs need to follow any company or client specifications.
As an EMPLOYEE, I do think it is totally wrong that you needed to buy equipment to work for KS. Appropriate reference material is one thing, but not equipment. This is blurring the line between employee and independent contractor status.
On the other hand, you also have to realize that not all people who recently started or who have worked for KS have had a positive experience. Some of us have run into some truly nightmare type situations. It obviously depends on the account, manager, and other variables. I would detail my recent experience, but it would give away who I am. I will come back and give the details when I feel that I can. There has been very little in the way of anything positive about my being hired by KS. I am truly disappointed, as I had better expectations about working for this company.
I do hope that you personally continue have a good job experience.
Keystrokes = no strokes - Run fast and far from KS
[ In Reply To ..]I am a "seasoned" MLS and have never worked for a more disorganized company. In fact, they have yet to pay me my last check! Extremely unprofessional and verifies I made the right decision to go elsewhere....
But that is why I like them! - They are laid back.
[ In Reply To ..]Companies that are to spic-n-span are so micromanaging. At KS, there is some wiggle room. I prefer laid back to having their act totally together.
KS laid back... - newer KSer
[ In Reply To ..]How about KS is so laid back and so not having their act together that they can't seem to get a person started. I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round. This is the most insane situation I have ever been in. But they gave me 24 hours to sign the letter of intent, and I needed to finalize the other paperwork asap. Then, for their part, things have been just stupid slow and minimal communication, no matter how much I try to get in touch with KS people. I also think their info about the company's benefits and pertinent information is very difficult to understand and know what to about. How can anyone like this chaotic type of situation?
I have the experience to make my way anyway. - So I just took off with it all.
[ In Reply To ..]I figured they would correct me if I did something wrong and I would then learn what I "should" be doing. I like being able to make my own way. It is true that my initial training was lacking, but such things don't usually stop me. I have years of experience at finding my way anyway. Any institution appreciates that ability. KS won't stop you from being all you can be.
we all have experience, not the issue here - newer KSer
[ In Reply To ..]This company is so "laid back" that they can't get their act together and get a person started on an account, get the tech people to load the correct programs, and MTs are NOT working. Get people started, give them work, and most of us can work on our own!! Most of us have years of experience, as you say. We don't need our hands held. But, dang, this company needs to get the ball rolling first. They keep advertising as if they need people to work, when they have newer people hired and not up and running, and they apparently have other people without enough work to support themselves. Talk about a really odd way to run a business.
Your response is certainly correct, - out of work MT
[ In Reply To ..]The bigger they get, the worse they get. I think they just want a pool of resumes. I have been getting QA'd because of complaining of no work. Unfortunately the new hires do not know any better. It is all about the TAT and the company making money, not the MT.
Keystrokes - Sparky
[ In Reply To ..]Guess you are one of the lucky ones, but you've been there 6 weeks. Give it a few months or years!
I am glad you posted. My experience has also been positive. - KS is a good company.
[ In Reply To ..]I think we create our experiences by our own expectations. If you're a negative person, that's what's going to happen to you, no matter where you go. If you're have a positive attitude, then positive things will happen to you.
Some of you don't belong in a profession that has challenges. You're spoiled brats, and you need to deal with it or go searching for Strawberry Shortcake Land where nothing ever goes wrong for anybody.
Good luck with that!
really? - nondelusional MT
[ In Reply To ..]IMO, your attitude is condescending and very immature. A reference to an old cartoon? Or are you management with an attitude? Can't grasp the fact that people could have positive AND negative experiences from the same company, and they also have a right to be frustrated with how some things might affect them financially? I believe someone suggested that management monitors the boards. Your sort of comment sounds like someone who has not worked in the trenches.
Well, the impression I took is that KS has good - Common sense rules
[ In Reply To ..]accounts and bad accounts. Which you get assigned probably has a lot more to do with what accounts need filling at time of hire than with vibing happy thoughts out into the cosmos. It's obviously a place where many have found good niches, but it seems very...something...to assume people who got a bad draw must have caused it themselves.
Someone has been reading The Secret - too much
[ In Reply To ..]What New Thought nonsense!
It works! - Try it!
[ In Reply To ..]You'll like the changes it makes in your life and outlook on life.
One thing to say....ew - ew...eww...ewww
[ In Reply To ..]ewwww
Keystrokessssssssss - anon
[ In Reply To ..]Don't criticize others who had truthfully bad experiences either. If the high-healed shoe fits and it is comfortable, wear it. To some of us it has hurt. Hope your experience does not go sour. Remember too all good things come to an end. Don't say we told you so.
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