Hiring a transcriptionist from India

February 4, 2007 11:46 AM

How can I directly hire a transcriptionist from India?

Due to hand injuries, I have a very limited ability to handwrite, type and mouse. My solution to this has been to hire college students to type for me for a certain number of hours per week. Unfortunately, as you may guess, this approach is very expensive. I've tried dictation software, and I'd rather not get into the details for privacy reasons, but it really isn't the solution to the problem. The other day I was thinking about how to find good people, and I realized that it might be possible to hire someone directly from India.

I am sure that the tech community is well respresented on this bulletin board, but I hope that you won't be offended by the suggestion. The bottom line is that the job of typist really isn't a good job for most americans because I really can't afford to pay well at all. I've had a lot of trouble finding americans who will take the job and work reliably. However, I could probably afford to pay someone from India what I am hoping might be a very good wage. In the end, even if you are not thrilled with this decision, I appreciate any help that you can give me.

In the job posting, I would say that I was looking for someone with at least thirteen years of education, aptitude with computers, and excellent english skills. A significant proportion of the work involves mathematical notation, so I would ideally like someone with some sort of background in math.

I was thinking of communicating with them via Skype, so they would have to have their own computer with a broadband connection. Since I sometimes need to use specialized software they would also have to install some specialized software on their computer as well as a software client that would allow remote control of their computer such as logmein.com. Ideally I'd like to be able to have a Skype connection going while I watch what they're doing on their computer and potentially take over control using software designed for technical support to help diagnose a problem on your computer (such as logmein.com).

I would pay them using paypal in dollars. I don't know how much to pay, and would appreciate any information people could offer on this question. I want to pay a good enough wage that I could expect that whoever has the job will value it, without breaking the bank. (I saw on a recent documentary that at least a couple of years ago, call center employees got about $200/month.) They would have to keep track of their hours, and I wouldn't have a very good way of telling whether or not they were being honest in reporting how long activities took. Ideally, I would find two people, and if one person started taking significantly longer than the other one, then I would give proportionately more work to the person who was doing a better job.

Anyway, these are the best ideas that I've had thus far about how I might do something like this. Any suggestions or feedback that you have would be greatly appreciated.

I'm particularly interested in hearing about:

1.) How could I find someone with good enough English skills?
2.) What should I be careful of in terms of protecting myself from who knows what?
3.) Does this even sound feasible to you?
4.) I would advertise the "job" under part time jobs, but for simplicity in terms of tax reasons I would consider the person to be an independent contractor. What advice can people give on the tax and legal rammifications of doing something like this?

Thank you.

posted by wdwcuwa to work & money (7 comments total)

Try bangalore.craigslist.org, or any of the other Indian Craigslist sites.
posted by b1tr0t at 11:57 AM on February 4, 2007

Hireafreelancer.com ?
posted by k8t at 1:12 PM on February 4, 2007

I know this happens all the time between journalists in the U.S. and transcriptionists overseas--in essence, it's TOTALLY feasible. I'm still researching it myself--but only for a lower-maintenance version, such as sending digital recordings for transcription. I'll let you know if I figure something out finally.

Your idea about virtual-overseeing and hiring sounds a little high-maintenance to me, frankly. That being said, the stuff I've heard about "outsourced" work is VERY service-oriented, so you might actually be able to get what you're looking for.

Finally, the phrase independent contractor is technically right--but almost anyone you find will work for a larger service. (Which is to say, there are companies who will provide someone to do this for you--its unlikely that you'll be taking on an assistant on a one-to-one basis. Most people who do "outsourced" remote jobs don't find their own clients--and U.S. clients don't have just one person on hire.) So they won't be an employee of YOURS, so there's no tax issues w/r/t to them for you whatsoever, as far as I understand. (Someone may correct me on this.) But essentially, you're buying a service, just as you would if you were having, say, Kinko's transcribe for you, and they have no relation to you.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 1:43 PM on February 4, 2007

I work as a transcriptionist myself and I'm consider myself lucky to have some job security in that I work with sensitive material in a post-secondary environment so I know my job won't be outsourced. From what I've seen, it's harder for North American transcriptionists to make a living doing what they do, because really, we can't complete with the living wage in India.

As far as North American wages go, as a college student with a typing speed with 130 wpm, I charge about 15 CAD, which, from what I can tell, is on the low end. The last figure I saw for workers in India was something like $3-4 USD an hour or thereabouts.

That being said, www.elance.com may have what you're looking for... it allows you to post for free and people submit proposals and bid for your contract. From what I can tell, it is a competitive environment that may help you find what you're looking for.
posted by perpetualstroll at 2:51 PM on February 4, 2007

I was thinking of communicating with them via Skype

It would probably be easier to just record yourself to MP3 or WAV and email that to the remote transcriptionist. That way, they can rewind and replay anything they have trouble understanding, and you don't have to be awake at the same time they are.
posted by b1tr0t at 3:02 PM on February 4, 2007

Try Speak-Write, formerly known as CyberSecretaries. The last I heard, it used transcriptionists in Montana and other rural U.S. locations. Cost - a penny a word.
posted by yclipse at 7:34 PM on February 4, 2007

Thanks for all of your tips!

I can't write much now because I have to run, but suppose I use the above tips to find someone in India to type for me. Does anyone have any advice on how to set it all up? I think I will definitely take the tip of sending MP3s and just use Skype for general communication purposes, but does anyone have any other advice?
posted by wdwcuwa at 7:20 AM on February 5, 2007