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Unfortunately they have a very poor record of grads finding employment.

Posted By: deb on 2007-11-10
In Reply to: Is Penn Foster a good school? - Becky

Many companies will waive their 2-years' experience requirement for Andrews or M-Tec grads, but they know the education at Penn Foster, AHP, and many others is just not good enough and they will not let grads of those schools even take their employment tests. I'm not saying you CAN'T get a job, just that it will unfortunately be much harder, as evidenced by the many, many people who have taken these courses and posted online that they can't get a job.


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Finding Employment

H.  Just keep trying.  You will eventually find something.  Are you only willing to work from home, or is outside the home an option?


As far as from the home, there are several companies who may give you a chance if you pass their test.  Some of the criteria for some of them may say "3 years + acute experience" or something like that, and that may be so.  However, some at-home jobs may say that on their criteria but may still give you a chance.  Just keep sending in your resumes and testing with reputable sites.  It may take a while -- maybe even a few months -- but you will eventually find something.  Good luck!!  :)


Advice for finding employment?
I'm fairly new to this board, so I hope that I have posted this in the right place.  I have recently finished a MT course and am looking for PT employment from home.  I am completely overwhelmed by the number of companies when doing job searches.  I was hoping perhaps somebody could offer some personal words of wisdom based on their experiences?  I want to get in the door with a reputable company who is willing to take on a recent grad.  Any advice?  Thanks!
New grad finding employment
I am currently applying for transcription jobs as I just finished school.  Some companies ask questions as part of their application process.  I have trouble with these types of questions:  How many lines per day can you reliably type?  What do you charge per 65-character line?  Being a new grad I have no idea what to answer for these.
Employment for New Grads

I am a recent grad. I graduated with a GPA of an A.


Is there any company that hires new grads?


So far, I have not found any.


Thank you.


employment for new grads
AMEN! While I am not a recruiter, I have run into that 2-year thing. I also agree with you about what CS consider 'experience'. Thanks for stating it!
I'd keep a record of it

That way if you need a job in the future, you can contact them and see if you can work for them.  You never know....


Once I got my job, the career office at my votech college (hadn't yet told them I had a job) sent me a "lead" on a job listing they had for a waitress!  So glad I registered with them, not! I got my local job through a classified ad in the paper. The funniest thing is that the job I got was also advertised through the career services job board but when I asked for referral information, they never got back to me.  I just happened to see the ad in the paper at the same time and applied that way instead.  Maybe they were waiting for that big waitress job to come along for me.


BTW,congrats on getting a job.


You don't record the dictation (see msg)
with the c-phone you dial in, and plug a foot pedal and headset into the phone itself and transcribe that way rather than hearing through your computer speakers. (I assume voicewriter is similar)
Electronic Medical Record
.
You Poor Thing - This people must be
First of all, I did not go to MTEC, Andrews or Career Step, but it does seem like they companies to train with.. it seems most people get good jobs in a timely manner when training with them. You pay more, but it seems to be worth it.

As far as days/hours... I have been working for the past 9 months WORKING MY OWN HOURS. The days are set, but as long as I get my lines in during that day, they are very happy. I was a newbie, they started me at a great rate, and I got a 1 cent raise after 3 months (I am very lucky). There ARE MANY companies out there that know that MOST of us ARE moms at home in our PJs. I actually get more accomplished dressed as such.. sitting in my office wearing my pumps is really not necessary... maybe that's why these other people are so damn cranky!!! Anyway, a lot of accounts are 24-hr TAT and as long as you get your lines in, most people don't care when you did it.. as long as the client is happy. Don't these idiots bring you down .. good luck!
I agree about the poor training, but s/m

Try to remember how it was when we started.  I really feel for these people just starting out.  When I started, I was sitting in a room with my boss, and if I had any questions, I could ask.  I can't imagine working the way it is now, being trained and then being all alone without anyone to help.  The training they get at school is I'm sure nothing like what what they're going to hear get once they're at home.  They probably have them listening to tapes where the doctors talk slowly and carefully, none of them have accents, the sound quality is perfect, etc. 


Anyway, I AM shocked when I see some of the questions they're asking, but I had a lot of help when I was new, and was not all by myself working at home without anyone to bounce things off of.  I think a lot of them get caught up in the "work at home" thing, and don't understand how hard this really is.


Sounds like they made a poor choice of EMR...sm

the whole point of EMR is not to type the notes into the system - it's to choose from a menu and point and click to get the information in.  Think


chief complaint:  sore throat.     choose:  erythematous   edematous  purulent drainage and so on


if it's a speciality with a lot of redundancy, i.e. podiatry, they fly through their notes. If it's more unique situations a little tougher. But don't worry... the EMR companies will soon figure out the missing link...


 


 


 


I personally would not recommend them mainly because of the poor way they treat their staff.
/
Unfortunately Allied has a poor training program, and the companies know it. nm
x
Could be poor MT material to start with - my absolute best MT came from community college and
I've had some Andrews, M-Tecs that couldn't even pass the first grammar screening.
Very nicely put. Distractions equate to typos, which lead to poor QA scores. nm
.
employment
I am a recent grad and looking for work. Every place I apply wants at least 1 year experience (catch-22. Can anyone tell me who hires recent grads--I'm very flexible.
Employment
Hi, I was curious if you had an open position available for a new MT. I have been doing transcription for 6 months now and feel that I am ready to get more work. Please contact me if you have any further questions. I can get you a recommendation if needed.

Thanks so much

Jenifer
Employment Help

This is my first post.  I not only am a recent graduate, but also live where I do not have cable or DSL available.  Does anyone have any suggestions of companies that I could contact that do not require this?  I have satellite available.  Thanks for any suggestions.


New graduate looking for employment.

Hi,


I am a new graduate that is having a difficult time finding companies that are hiring new MTs.  I have put in numerous resumes with "not enough experience" replies.  Does anyone have suggestions on companies that are willing to give new MTs a chance.


Outlook for MT employment
Curious what the Board of Labor Statistics has to say about MT outlook and employment projection? According to their website:

"Contracting out transcription work overseas and advancements in speech recognition technology are not expected to significantly reduce the need for well-trained medical transcriptionists. Outsourcing transcription work abroad—to countries such as India, Pakistan, Philippines, and the Caribbean—has grown more popular as transmitting confidential health information over the Internet has become more secure; however, the demand for overseas transcription services is expected only to supplement the demand for well-trained domestic medical transcriptionists. In addition, reports transcribed by overseas medical transcription services usually require editing for accuracy by domestic medical transcriptionists before they meet domestic quality standards. Speech-recognition technology allows physicians and other health professionals to dictate medical reports to a computer that immediately creates an electronic document. In spite of the advances in this technology, the software has been slow to grasp and analyze the human voice and the English language, and the medical vernacular with all its diversity. As a result, there will continue to be a need for skilled medical transcriptionists to identify and appropriately edit the inevitable errors created by speech recognition systems, and to create a final document."
Seeking employment
Hi.  I am a new MT graduate, but not new to the medical field as I am a nurse and have worked at the hospital for 3 years now.  I have been applying, but do not yet have a job.  I went to a community college program and I am hoping that will help me.  If anyone has any suggestions or if anyone has a name of a company that may be willing to hire a new MT grad with previous med experience please let me know.   Thanks so much
Self-employment taxes...sm
If you are self-employed, you must pay your taxes quarterly, regardless of other income in the family. You are responsible for the federal income tax as well as state tax. You can go online and pull off a state estimated tax form(voucher) and same for federal taxes (1040-ES/V) form. Both are due quarterly. Once you get going, it won't seem so foreign to you.
Maybe the OP should consider another field of employment. NM
x
testing for employment

Previous post said, if you test for a national and fail they make you wait 6 months before testing again.


Which national companies offer employment based on pre-employment testing results? ???


One reason I wanted to get into MT is that you get paid for exactly what and how much you DO and I hoped that my skills would speak for themselves when I tested for a position. But if every company wants to know what school you graduated from and how many years of experience you have, then I might as well have a liberal arts degree.


For those of us new, all this "3 years", "5 years" experience stuff is going to leave us dead in the water if we don't get an in somewhere.


Thanks for any reply.


Internship or possible employment
I have completed a transcription course recently with a school that did not offer internship. I have tested with VARIOUS companies even though I do not have the required experience. I was a CPC certified coder but let my certification lapse because employers informed me without experience, I would be too great of a risk to their company. I know I can perform the duties of a Transcriptionist but have not been given the opportunity to prove myself. If ANYONE could PLEASE PLEASE help me with this delima, I would be ever greatful.
Employment tests
Most services want to see 98%, or at the least 97%, on an employment test. Anything less than that is "failing" in their eyes.

Think about it from their perspective. If their clients expect 98% accuracy, you need to be able to produce 98% accuracy. If you can't do that while being tested, which they assume is your best effort, you're not likely to do it on the job later.

Not saying this is a great thing or not, just that it's what they may think.
Home employment
I was wondering if anyoen might have some tips. I realize that looking to work from  home soon after completeting an MT course will either take a very long time opr not at all. Just thought some of you seasoned MT's would have some advice. If not, I understand. Thank you.
Employment after home study
I was wondering about the same thing.  Who would hire you after home study, and who will hire with only one year experience; or no experience outside the home.  I have a little hospital experience, but years ago.
Employment dilemma!!! Experienced MTs,

Hello everyone.  I am a newbie.  Not long ago I posted about having three job opportunities and how happy and fortunate I felt.  I turned one down because the pay was excrutiatingly low--even for a newbie!  The other was occasional part-time work for a day or two every month or so.  I accepted that.  Then I accepted a part-time IC position, which is what I really wanted.


Everything seemed fine--I was so happy.  I took three different tests with this company (which I passed with high marks), an online interview, and a telephone interview.  I went through two training sessions on the company software.  And I signed all my contracts.  Now....I have heard NOTHING from them.  No letter.  No introduction to my editor.  No acknowledgement whatsoever.  I've emailed them assuring my eagerness to work with them.  But I've gotten silence.  It has only been a few days, but still, doesn't it seem strange?  In any other job I've had (all non-MT related), when I was hired, it was definite.


What should I do?  Should I email them again?  Should I send a letter via snail mail?  Should I call?  I hesitate to do that because it's a fairly large company and I don't even know if the receptionist will know who I am, since I never actually started working for the company!


I can't tell you how excited I was about this.  I felt like I really "hit it off" with the company, if you know what I mean.  I've begun testing for other companies again, just in case.  I feel badly about it.  If I get another offer before I hear from them (IF I hear from them), I'll most likely take it.


From reading this board, I've heard about "overhiring."  Do you think I'm a victim of that?  Folks, what would you do in my position?  Thanks ever so much for any help anyone can give me!


flunked my 1st employment exam
I just took my first employment exam ever with Transolutions. I really wanted that job because it seemed like the best company that still takes dialup. I live near the edge of nowhere and we don't get DSL. You have to have a 96 to pass the test, and I got a 93.9%. I am so bummed. Anybody else ever flunk one of these? Any tips on how to improve? Any job leads?
Where can I gain PT employment from home?

Hi all,


My name is Jenn.  I'm new to this message board.  I just completed an MT course (awaiting the results of my final which I'm confident I did well on).  I have a 97% GPA.  I'm looking to get my foot in the door in a PT position.  I have a two-year-old daughter, so I chose this profession to stay home with her and to have flexibility when she gets into school.  Although working for a service and an individual doctor both have their ups and downs, I'm leaning toward working for a service for the flexibility aspect of it.  I know I will likely make less money this way.  I am not coming into this with the mindset that I'm going to make $25/hr or anything, just want to make a decent wage while staying home with my daughter.  Thanks in advance for your response!


Jenn


Spheris employment question
I've been interested in Spheris for a while and just did a search here.  What interests me most is that they seem to be favorable to hiring newbies, of which I still am at one year.  The only negative thing I saw was about offshoring.  Was there anything else really bad?  I'd like to know if they habitually run out of work for MTs, if they keep shuffling around around accounts or give you stable accounts, QA and I guess the general working atmosphere.  I know they consistently advertise, do they over hire or do they really have all that work?   Is there anybody here working for them that can tell me those things?  The nice things about this company really do seem to be nice and encouraging.  Thanks to anyone who answers.
Employment with Focus Infomatics.
Dear Desi:

I worked with Focus Infomatics a few years back when I got laid off from the hospital because of voice recognition. However, they do not pay worth a you know what. Apply with a better at home company, such as Spheris or All-Type. There is a free magazine that you can get for being a transcriptionist. It is called Advance. Call them up, and get a year's subscription for free, and you will see all the at home companies that are hiring.

I hope this helped you out.

Good luck!


Erin
Sorry, meant pre-employment MT tests.
nm
I find it fishy that someone would contact you for employment instead of the other way around.
nm
finding a job
I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all of this. I have been doing overflow work for a company but I don't feel that they have a proper work ethic and am trying to find work elsewhere. I used to work for several doctors and am thinking about going into business for myself and finding my own doctors to transcribe for, any suggestions on fair line rates or any other advise would be GREATLY appreciated.
Finding a Job
I just recently finished my MT course and I am finding it hard to find a job.  Could someone please give me info that might help me in my search.  No one wants to hire a newbie.
Finding a Job
Tanya-I too am a newbie and I am so frustrated about not finding a job yet. It is hard to find a job anywhere, especially when everyone wants an MT with 2+ years of experience...how do we get this experience if no one will hire us?
Me too, and I am finding out...
that some companies use a VPN (virtual privacy network) to encrypt their data and that it is not very compatible with satellite. The acceleration process that satellite uses won't work with it. I had Transcription Relief Services tell me they couldn't hire me because of this, and I scored 98.2 on their test. However, the recruiter at Alltype told me that she thinks they have people using Hughesnet working for them. She is going to let me know. I am trying see if there is any way to find out what they use before I test.
Need help finding a job
Need help finding a position.  Went to school and have at least 1 year experience.  However no one seems to want to hire me.  Any suggestions for me?
Finding a job
Hi. My name is Jennifer. I recently graduated from Allied Business School. I graduated from my MT class in December. For the past 4 months I have done hours of job searching and applied for at least 100 jobs. No one will hire a new graduate. Does anyone know a company that will give me a chance to show my skills?
Employment tests are not easy, even for entry level.
They need to know what you know. Sometimes the things you blank are just as important as the things you get right.
Finding mentors
Where can you find mentors? I would thinks that those people that have gone through this would understand and want to become mentors for the newbies.
Finding Mentors
Can't be reached at that e-mail.
New MT needs help finding work
I have recently graduated from a medical transcription school (PCDI) and am on the computer or phone everyday looking for a job.  Everyone wants experience and as soon as you say you are new, their mood changes and they aren't interested.  Would anyone please give me any ideas where to look that I may not have looked yet?  I am anxious to get started in the business.
Re: NEW MT needs help finding work
Unfortunately, your choice of school was not a good one. PCDI is considered one of the poorest MT training programs. That might be part of your problem. You would be instantly employable had you attended Andrews or M-Tec. In fact, you would have employers lined up waiting to hire you. You might want to consider acquiring further training with one of the premier schools that turn out job-ready MTs employers are eager to hire. Many people who have attended Career Step have also met with success in their search for employment.
finding a transcription job.
I read what you said about sending a flyer out to speech and language pathologist in your area. I graduated this summer from school and this actually sounds like something I could do. Thank for the idea. Just need to figure out the flyer part.
You might try finding a per diem or
part-time position at a local hospital just to get started. If you have some actual hospital experience on your resume you become a lot more attractive to an employer. If you have a husband or SO that can keep the kids in the evening you could try working then. That's what I did to get started 10 years ago.
finding jobs

Alicia,


I completely understand what you are saying.  You said NOTHING about pay and just want a job.  Just ignore the nasty attitudes.  People like that obviously have nothing better to do than to get their BP pumped over petty things.  As for your question, I found out through my own experience when looking that sometimes even if they say 1-2 years experience, some will still allow you to test.  Quite a few companies were willing to test me even though they stated they wanted experience.  I say apply to everybody that requires 2 years or less.  Worst that can happen is they say no. 


Here's a tidbit on the ladies who have a hard time keeping the peace, next time you go "off" on somebody, you may want to stop and think about it.  She could be the neighbor that made sure you had a few hot meals after the loss of a loved one.  You can easily say what needs to be said without being catty, leave that to the tweens!


God bless and Happy Holidays! 


Finding a job after hiatus

I graduated from Career Step in Dec 2004 and worked part-time for Medquist from February to November 2005.  I haven’t worked in MT since then but would like to find a part-time job for weekends and/or evenings.  Do you think any companies would consider hiring someone who isn’t presently working in MT?  If you know of companies that hire based on passing their test I’d appreciate it if you could tell me the names or websites.  Thanks. 


Finding a mentor

Before I started school I had a friend in the field. I really knew nothing about what she did and she gave me no promises of helping me when I was done with school. However, when I was just about done she suggested I come to her home and do a few of her reports for practice. I was really nervous. I did a few, she said I did well and I didn't hear much from there. Well, a month or two later when I told her I was actively looking for work now (I had had an interview somewhere else) she suggested I talk to her boss. Her boss had no one to train me so she offered. I really could not believe my good luck! It has been a wonderful experience. She helped me with all my software etc. Talking to everyone is the only way to get ahead. Besides her I had 3 interviews just with people in our area that I talked with. I am a very outgoing chatty person and I think this helped. I so appreciate the time and effort my friend gave me (she made money too). I has been really hard at times, but definitely worth it!