A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
What is rock bottom, anyway? - Stikaforkinme...
Posted: Dec 28, 2011
I worked all day today for less than what I made per day in 1985, at my second-ever transcription job. I hang by a thread to my rental home (already lost home I owned) and belongings, as do so many others...each day I force my gnarled and painful fingers to their respective limits, well beyond their limitations, eeking out just another hour...this hour for the cat's food, another hour to pay the internet bill, so I can work another hour...and so on. I remember when I was in my mid 20's, I had an older friend who told her husband what I was doing for a living, typing at home. He was aghast! He couldn't believe that a smart, young, beautiful woman (his words) was sitting at home, typing for a living. I always remember this response, though I heard it only second-hand, as it struck a chord, even then, although I vehemently defended my actions, or life's choice, at the time, naturally. It made perfect sense at the time, for a variety of highly defendable reasons, to 'work at home,' didn't it? Didn't it? Didn't it once make sense?
Oh yes it certainly did! My how times have changed. - nm
[ In Reply To ..]x
the good news is - sm
[ In Reply To ..]If indeed we have hit rock bottom, which I do think we have, the only way to go is up.
So, lets just go up!
You must be under 40... - Stikaforkinme
[ In Reply To ..]Love the enthusiasm of youth! Don't change!
You can't say that - sm
[ In Reply To ..]If a person is about to be homeless, they don't have time to wait until things rebound. I did that once. I was paralyzed with not knowing what to do, so I did nothing. Bad decision. I paid for it. That's why I'm telling people to find something else if whatever job you have isn't paying your bills, whether it's because you aren't very good at it or because your employer is a bum or because it's just a bad economy. Be proactive!
It did once make sense - Read me
[ In Reply To ..]I've been an MT since the early 90s. After attending a very good secretarial school (they were still around back then) that required my physical presence and participation (imagine that!), I ended up with a well-respected well-paying CAREER that enabled me, as a young female, fully capable of taking care of myself. I never had the "pleasure" of transcribing on a typewriter; however, the computers when I started out were mouse free (UGH... remember your F key commands?), and the closest thing to an MTSO was a local service that would provide work if you chose that route. I've seen the technology advance to the point that I am more productive than ever... internet eliminating the need to go a facility (which saves the employer money), digital voice eliminating the need for tape pick up/drop off (saves me money, the facility money, and the planet some pollution by not driving), electronic reference and online searching (increases accuracy and productivity), text expanders (REALLY increases productivity), and the list goes on. If I had to guess, I am now producing at least double... if not more... than I was able to when I first started MTing. Of course, the technology and increased productivity as a result should have reduced the number of MT positions available, but I never imagined that my pay would be LESS than what I was making when I first started and my experience having done this for nearly 2 decades would mean squat. I should be making more; I'm doing more for crying out loud! The facilities are saving money as well. How could this be? Well... now it's time to figure the greedy MTSOs into the equation. I feel they are 93% responsible for the state of this industry. I reserve 5% for the "matchbook"/online schools who lure students in based on the promise of "making money from home," 1% for the cheap facilities looking to save a buck while sacrificing quality... 1% for the MTs (yes, us) for not forming some sort of union and setting an acceptable standard of pay/working conditions when we had the ability and standing to do so (this is just my opinion... feel free to rearrange those percentages or throw another entity in there). When you look at the state of this industry now and ask yourself if it made sense, it's hard to answer "yes" without going back and looking at what we had. At one time, I had a well-paying career that gave me the ability to balance home/work/family, I was once respected for what I did, and I was once empowered as a young woman who did not have to rely on a husband or my family or anyone financially. It made perfect sense.
To answer your opening question, IMO, rock bottom isn't when you're broke, and it isn't when you're not respected by others for what you do; it's when you find yourself losing respect for yourself. I've hit bottom, and now I'm just left feeling pissed that I allowed this "career" to make me feel that way. For me, it's time to get out (which is MUCH easier said than done). If you come to the same decision, just know that you're not alone, and there are others going through the same thing.
When something no longer makes sense ... - ILMT
[ In Reply To ..]... that's when you stop doing it.
Here's the deal. Get a calculator. Figure out what your pay right now would be as an hourly wage. Is it close to minimum wage in your area? Or less? Then take your poor beat-up hands and go apply for minimum-wage jobs in your community. Don't throw up your own roadblocks before you start (I'm too old, I don't know how to do anything else, I've been isolated at home too long, don't have the gas money, et cetera).
See what happens. See what offers you get. Take one that you think won't be too terrible, and remember that it's paying you the same. Work at it for a month; drop your transcription down to part-time if you're allowed that. Or wait to do this until you've filed your tax return and (one hopes) have a small cushion, and cut transcription loose once you have a firm job offer. Issues with transportation and even clothes can be worked out.
To cripple yourself for barely enough money to get by is insane. Most minimum-wage jobs will get you a raise every now and then, and maybe even a shot at advancement. You'll probably never make big bucks, and yes, in this economy even MW jobs are hard to come by. But they exist. All you need is one "yes".
At one time, this field did make sense. For some of us it still does, but the handwriting is on the wall even so. You've hit that proverbial wall. You can either continue painfully eking out an existence until they pull the MT rug out from under you and THEN say "now what?", or step outside your door by choice.
I know. It's easy to say, hard to do. And I don't know where you live or what the opportunities are. But the point is, move toward changing things for yourself however you can, on your terms instead of waiting for the hammer to drop or your hands to freeze up into useless painful claws, whichever comes first.
You didn't make the wrong choice all those years ago. None of us did. But things changed in ways we couldn't possibly foresee. No need to beat yourself up about it; you're beaten up enough by the job itself.
It's the same with jobs like nursing - see message
[ In Reply To ..]Many nurses thought they would be in nursing for the rest of their lives. Then they lifted the wrong patient the wrong way and suddenly they are in pain day and night. For that reason, it's time for that person to do something else, not stay in that miserable predicament. Does that mean that all nurses need to do something else? No, but that one sure does! When it's time to get creative and find solutions for yourself, it's time. Don't wait until it's past time.
It still makes sense for some but never was the job of all jobs for everyone - Perfect Sense
[ In Reply To ..]I would not hang on if you are really suffering with gnarled and painful fingers and low return on your work. It's time for you to consider doing something else, even if you have to leave your home every day to go to work. If it isn't working, it isn't working. Leave it and never look back! Others will be happy to have the job you are leaving, because what works for one person is a disaster for others. One person's great income is another person's poverty wages. It's all relative. You can do it! Go put on some makeup and simple, basic clothes like a skirt and blouse, and get out there and start interviewing! Your skills should make you eligible for some medical office jobs, but you'll have to go ask for those jobs. They aren't going to come to you. Good luck!!!
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