Transcribing rate per hour
Thread poster: Syuhada Benzaki
Syuhada Benzaki
Syuhada Benzaki
Malaysia
Local time: 21:34
English to Malay
+ ...
Jul 17, 2019

Edited to make my question clearer.
Hello,

Recently I accepted a transcribing job from an overseas company. The payment is $30 per hour of recorded audio, which after a search on the net, I found to be below the normal rate. Am I correct?

For one conversation between two speakers, I will be given 2 files, one for each speaker. One speaker will be more dominant than the other.

I am require to provide one transcript for each audio files. The length of
... See more
Edited to make my question clearer.
Hello,

Recently I accepted a transcribing job from an overseas company. The payment is $30 per hour of recorded audio, which after a search on the net, I found to be below the normal rate. Am I correct?

For one conversation between two speakers, I will be given 2 files, one for each speaker. One speaker will be more dominant than the other.

I am require to provide one transcript for each audio files. The length of the 2 audio file is almost the same with only 1-2 minutes difference.

But my main question is, is it normal for the 2 audio files, I will only be paid based on the audio files that has longer recording? I.e one files is 1 hour while the other is 59 minutes, the will pay me only for the 1 hour audio files though they require me to also provide transcript for the 59 minutes file?

Thank you for reading my concern and thanks in advance if you answer.

[Edited at 2019-07-17 07:32 GMT]

[Edited at 2019-07-17 07:34 GMT]
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Kaiya J. Diannen
Kaiya J. Diannen  Identity Verified
Australia
German to English
Could be regional, but sounds WAY too low Jul 17, 2019

I don't really understand your question about being paid based on the longer file, sorry. But I can tell you that when I was investigating the possibility of doing transcriptions here in Australia, the company I looked into paid a character- or word-based rate (can't recall specifically now), which worked out to about A$20-30 (depending on speed) for 10-12 minutes of audio, so to me, the rate you're describing sounds way too low. Good luck!

[Edited at 2019-07-17 08:14 GMT]


Nadiya Muzh
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:34
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
You know the answer really, I think :) Jul 17, 2019

Obviously you don't process an hour of audio without pay. That's anything from four to ten hour's work normally. I suppose each file is a bit lighter on content than normal, but you still have to listen to every second - which takes an hour, even if it's totally silent! I can understand how the agency would word it: it's just a one-hour conversation, so one hour of audio; it just happens to be on two files. But the fact that it's in two files makes a world of difference. It's no longer a convers... See more
Obviously you don't process an hour of audio without pay. That's anything from four to ten hour's work normally. I suppose each file is a bit lighter on content than normal, but you still have to listen to every second - which takes an hour, even if it's totally silent! I can understand how the agency would word it: it's just a one-hour conversation, so one hour of audio; it just happens to be on two files. But the fact that it's in two files makes a world of difference. It's no longer a conversation. All of the benefits of a conversation have disappeared. Normally, you have loads of context; often, you can pretty much guess at the content of a reply, so if it sounds slightly fuzzy, you can often make it out.

Tell your agency that in future you need to be paid for every second of audio. And you need to be paid a rate per hour of your time that makes it worthwhile. I'm sure you know how much that is. And you clearly know how long each hour of audio takes. So tell them how much you need to be paid per audio minute. Don't expect them to like it - they'll be very happy with the current situation. I estimate they're charging their client about ten times what they're paying you!
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Gitte Hovedskov (X)
Gitte Hovedskov (X)
Denmark
Local time: 14:34
English to Danish
+ ...
You need to do your own sums Jul 17, 2019

Here is what I would do:

Listen to one of the audio files and transcribe 1-2 minutes. Make a note of how long this takes you. On this basis, you should be able to calculate how long it will take you to transcribe both audio files.

Decide what YOU think is a fair hourly rate for your work.

Tell the client what it will cost them to have YOU do the transcription.

In my experience, transcription of audio files can take anything from 5-12 minutes pe
... See more
Here is what I would do:

Listen to one of the audio files and transcribe 1-2 minutes. Make a note of how long this takes you. On this basis, you should be able to calculate how long it will take you to transcribe both audio files.

Decide what YOU think is a fair hourly rate for your work.

Tell the client what it will cost them to have YOU do the transcription.

In my experience, transcription of audio files can take anything from 5-12 minutes per runtime minute, so a fee of 30 USD for an hour of audio file is completely absurd.
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Syuhada Benzaki
Syuhada Benzaki
Malaysia
Local time: 21:34
English to Malay
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all Jul 17, 2019

Hello,

Honestly, this is my first paid transcribing job. I did transcribing before when I work full time, not as a transcriber but an office job, and it was only once. I wasn't really sure about what is normal and what is not in the transcribing world. My mistakes were that I ignore all the things that I feel weird about, and I was stupid enough not to ask here before I continue with the job.

Thank you for all the answers. It really help. As for the recent files I point
... See more
Hello,

Honestly, this is my first paid transcribing job. I did transcribing before when I work full time, not as a transcriber but an office job, and it was only once. I wasn't really sure about what is normal and what is not in the transcribing world. My mistakes were that I ignore all the things that I feel weird about, and I was stupid enough not to ask here before I continue with the job.

Thank you for all the answers. It really help. As for the recent files I pointed out that I should be paid for both files instead of the longer one, and their reply was that the can only increase the pay by 10 USD, and still pay only for the longer files, letting go of the job is a better choice.

Again, thank you for the answers.
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Transcribing rate per hour







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