A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Keep my current position, or look for a new one? - Lone Tiger

Posted: Mar 05, 2014

Sorry if this belongs on one of the subforums.(New MTs, maybe? I only have 2 years' experience as of this January...) Anyway, here's my deal: right now I'm an independent contractor with Accu-Script, and as of late I've been seriously considering looking elsewhere for a position as a regular employee(assuming Accu-Script themselves have none). I have no problems with the company or the money I'm making now, and I know that could too easily change if I try to change employers...but at this point, I'd love to have even just one day of the week when I know I WON'T be needed to work. I haven't had a free day for close to five months now, ever since I(perhaps foolishly) tried picking up two hospital accounts when the clinics I was already on weren't giving me enough work. On the other hand, I know I'm gaining acute-care experience here, and that I might not find another place willing to hire me if I quit this too soon...hence why I feel the need to come bugging you guys and gals for advice. :-) I don't have kids of my own to juggle with the job(and more power to those of you who do), but I do have family and friends--and not nearly as much time as I'd like to have for them now. So what do you think I can/should do? Thanks in advance.

Risky move - IMHO

[ In Reply To ..]
I think if you're actually happy doing MT where you are, it's a huge risk to go elsewhere. If nothing else, get the acute care experience. I'm not thinking that working somewhere else will solve your problem of not having a day off. A lot of places expect you to get your lines in, come heck or high water, whatever you have to do. They offshore to India, then expect you to figure out how to get your production in.

And be prepared that no matter where you go, one of the Big Guys" are likely to buy it up.

So, that's may take on this. There aren't too many happy campers in this biz anymore, so you're riding a high game.

Good luck whatever you decide.

I have to agree with IMHO.....sm - LoveMT

[ In Reply To ..]
If you truly enjoy the work you are currently getting/doing and your current employer, then I'd say definitely stay where you are. There could be the greatest possibility that you'd jump into the proverbial frying pan or the fire if you leave a place where you're currently happy with the exception of having too much work and not enough time off.

On the flip side, there are those of us who don't have enough work to go around and STILL don't have enough time off from work in order to spend with our families, friends, or even ALONE anymore. It's all about "flexing" with the 2 big ones and that's being an "employee" and not IC.

I have a good 17, almost 18 years of experience under my belt. I'm extremely glad I chose MT when I did so many years ago because it allowed me to be home when my kids came home from school and it allowed me the flexibility in my schedule to be able to spend time with family (especially the kids) and friends and have a social life. That is absolutely nonexistent today with what this industry has evolved into. I have no flexibility. I still have a couple of teenagers at home, who do not understand why I just can't work at a different time and now have to "strictly adhere" to a schedule. It's impossible for them to understand. They grew up with Mom always being able to work whenever she needed within a 24-hour period and not have to follow a strict schedule. However, even strictly adhering to a schedule doesn't always work on the employer end if there's no work to be had during that "strictly adhered to schedule." Then, one has basically babysat the computer for 8 hours and now has to figure out how to flex in the time and/or production missed while there was no work. It's impossible to have any kind of life. I literally have to find time to eat, sleep, and shower these days, and that in itself is just plain sad when I see what my paycheck has become.

So, I'd stay if I were you. There aren't very many other places you could go that would give you the flexibility you are seeking and/or the time away from work you are longing for. The acute care experience you're getting is important if you plan to continue doing MT for any length of time. You'll need that experience just to get your foot in the door should you ever find the need or want to look for work elsewhere.

MT is something I once had complete and utter passion for, absolutely LOVED my job so much that I worked overtime, anytime someone needed a replacement, whatever and whenever I could possibly do to soak up every bit of it. Now, I can't wait to just be finished with my day's work. If I were in your position, I might not feel the way I do now. :)

All the best to you. It sounds as though you truly enjoy your job, and THAT makes all the difference in the world at the end of the day.

As an IC...SM - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
You DO NOT need to be available to them 24/7; and if you have given them the impression that you are, that is why they are probably calling on you on a daily basis. What you can do is ask to have a tentative schedule of sorts with time/days off for yourself built in. If they then do call on you to work on a designated day off, you should have the option to say NO. Have you broached this subject with your employer yet? If not, you should and can do it a nonconfrontational way. You really need some time off to avoid serious burnout.

time off - just me

[ In Reply To ..]
The first time is always the hardest. Just tell them no - the world won't cave in - if they hold it against you then you just found out why you don't want to work for them.

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