What do you think of this?

[poconogal]

I've been out of work since January. I have 31 years of legal administrative, supervisory and secretarial experience in many areas of law, and all in top NYC law firms. I am very overqualified for many positions in a good job market, never mind in the non-job market that currently exists. From what I've just read, unemployment rose to 9% this month in NYC, up from 8% in May.

Sending resumes out these days is like sending a resume into a black hole, there are no jobs, or for any occassional position that pops up, there are so many applicants that it seems to be shear luck if they happen to pick up my resume.

I've been thinking of starting my own typing business -- to start with -- by taking out an ad in our local paper advertising that I can do typing for anyone that has too much on their plate to do it themselves. I also want to bring out the benefits of outsourcing, etc. to prospective clients. I've been doing research on typing rates per page and for different types of documents so I have an idea of what I'll charge.

What do you guys think of this? Think there's any money to be made doing something like this? I haven't seen any ads in the paper by anyone offering typing services so maybe there is a local market! Know of anyone that needs some typing done? :D

What I don't know is WHERE to place the ad, i.e., under what heading? Under Services Offerered? In our local paper, they do have a section for that, but its totally populated by contractors for home repair, painting, paving, attic clean outs, etc. Do you think my ad would get lost there?

I plan on contacting the paper to see how they would handle my ad, but I thought I'd get some feedback and maybe ideas first, here. Thanks to all!

[Ardan]

Connie,
Maybe check into medical transcriptionist. My sister in law does it from her home and works all the hours she wants.

I understand with the digitalization of medical records this is an up and coming area?

just a thought as it is a lot of typing all done by computer and sent electronically.
Don't have a clue how she got into that, she is in Florida and works for a few private Doctors.

hth
Ardan

[Disgirl]

I second Ardan's idea! Sounds like a good possibility there. If you do put an ad in your local paper maybe you could put a small ad all by itself, say a business card sized ad, in one of the most read sections of the paper. They may have a special rate for a certain # of days, etc. Tell the person in the ad dept. what you want to advertise and they should be able to suggest the best way to go about it. Good luck!!
Barb :)

[poconogal]

Ardan is on the money with the medical transcriptionist idea, I can see that myself. They are in much demand! But they also want experience in that field, which I don't have. Have tons of legal experience, so I can do legal transcription and document set ups for the various courts, but no medical... :(

Hmmmmm... since I worked in NYC I am collecting unemployment from NY state. I wonder if NY unemployment offers training in medical transcription? I bet they do or will pay for schooling for that! Of course, I wouldn't have experience... Okay, I'm off to check on this...

[DarkSide]

They do offer that training and there are small schools that offer 6 month to one year courses, all you really need is a Stedmans dictionary of medical terms depending on specialty, to correct typos. It is a software medical dictionary that integrates with word, etc. Move to medical technology, it pays more. The new EMR programs will somewhat lessen transcriptionists work, not increase it.

[brewmaster15]

Connie,
I think there still are a lot of doctors that would be able to use your services.... I go to a physician here that basically dictates to a tape recorder and the transcriptionist (sp?) just types it word for word..I've seen the results....it just looks like a typed paged....nothing special needed there....

If you are a good typist and have good credentials like that....maybe also look into copy proof reading as well for magazines and books?

best of luck in whatever you try there.:)

-al

[FLGirl1977]

Forgive my not reading all of the replies Connie, but I've found that sending out resumes via fax or online leads to nowhere. It wasn't until I physically got out there and walked into a building that I got the job. Funny thing was, they weren't even hiring, but a week later they called me and offered me more than what I was asking! Keep your chin up and I've heard many employers say that it's the person that gets out there that gets the job. HTH... take care and good luck....

[poconogal]

Renee, that's absolutely true, but in NYC no one gets past the guards in the building lobbies without security clearance! Before 9/11, you could walk into a building, look at the directory and pick floors you'd like to visit. Get into the elevator and stop where you want, in order to give out your resume. But not these days, not after 9/11. Things changed drastically, and rightly so, after that day. So I could walk through NYC and go into building lobbies, but that's it!

[poconogal]

Connie,
I think there still are a lot of doctors that would be able to use your services.... I go to a physician here that basically dictates to a tape recorder and the transcriptionist (sp?) just types it word for word..I've seen the results....it just looks like a typed paged....nothing special needed there....

If you are a good typist and have good credentials like that....maybe also look into copy proof reading as well for magazines and books?

best of luck in whatever you try there.:)

-al

Thanks, Al. I'm definitely going to explore my options. I've done legal proofreading and even managed to stay awake, LOL! Copy proof reading for magazines and books sounds lots more interesting.

[poconogal]

Connie,
Maybe check into medical transcriptionist. My sister in law does it from her home and works all the hours she wants.

I understand with the digitalization of medical records this is an up and coming area?

just a thought as it is a lot of typing all done by computer and sent electronically.
Don't have a clue how she got into that, she is in Florida and works for a few private Doctors.

hth
Ardan
Ardan, that's exactly what I'd like to do. We also want to move to Florida, so that would be great to start here in PA and have the option to do it in Florida too.

I second Ardan's idea! Sounds like a good possibility there. If you do put an ad in your local paper maybe you could put a small ad all by itself, say a business card sized ad, in one of the most read sections of the paper. They may have a special rate for a certain # of days, etc. Tell the person in the ad dept. what you want to advertise and they should be able to suggest the best way to go about it. Good luck!!
Barb :)
Barb, excellent idea about the business card sized ad. I'm going to look into it. Thanks!

They do offer that training and there are small schools that offer 6 month to one year courses, all you really need is a Stedmans dictionary of medical terms depending on specialty, to correct typos. It is a software medical dictionary that integrates with word, etc. Move to medical technology, it pays more. The new EMR programs will somewhat lessen transcriptionists work, not increase it.
A Stedmans dictionary? Hmmm, I'm going to look into that, DarkSide. Thanks for the tip.

[rickztahone]

sorry Connie, i don't have anything to contribute to help you out but i just wanted to wish you luck! something will come along

[keef]

Hi Connie,
I think Al mentioned it already but proofreading could possibly prove a lucrative sideline to your typing business. Do you have any universities where you are? Proofreading for students helped get me through the 5 years of my Marine Biology degree & masters. If you can, head down to you nearest campus, put up a bunch of ads with your email attached so people can tear one off, and you will hopefully have foreign students emailing you within days.
It's just a thought, but it worked for me - I really hope it works out for you.:)
Keith

[poconogal]

Keith, that is an excellent idea! We do have East Stroudsburg University about 15 mins. away. I'd have never thought of this, thank you! I think the University would be a decent source of typing work as well as proofreading.

[poconogal]

sorry Connie, i don't have anything to contribute to help you out but i just wanted to wish you luck! something will come along
Thanks, Rick!

[TankWatcher]

Good luck Connie. With your determination, I think you will land on your feet soon. Lots of good ideas here.

[Scribbles]

Check your newspaper for ads looking for typists or medical transcription. My Mom did this off and on for years. There was always an ad in the help wanted section. Best of luck on the job search.

Chris

[Scribbles]

Hey Connie,

I had an e-mail tonight from Google that they are hiring typists ASAP. They claim that the $ is good. Just thought that you would want to know.

Chris

[poconogal]

Thanks, Chris! That google typing thing though is a scam. I googled it, LOL!! They charge peoples' credit cards $75 to send info, and then hit it again and again, monthly. Apparently what they send is a CD with some junk on it, certainly not worth $75 monthly. Oh, from what I read, the $75 is supposed to be for contacts from them. What it really amounts to is a scheme to sell those useless CDs!

[poconogal]

Good luck Connie. With your determination, I think you will land on your feet soon. Lots of good ideas here.
Thanks, Robyn for the confidence!


Check your newspaper for ads looking for typists or medical transcription. My Mom did this off and on for years. There was always an ad in the help wanted section. Best of luck on the job search.

Chris
Thanks, Chris. That's what I've been doing, but they want medical transcriptionists. I may get NYS Unemployment to pay for schooling for that and that way, I'll always have the ability to do medical, as well as legal transcription.

[Roxanne]

...definately over qualified Connie:)...(add bear tamer to your resume too:D)

Lots of great ideas for you here...I'll throw another one at ya..If you want to drum up local work, letterbox flyers stating all the different services you can offer, in your case, proof reading yes, but also, some people need help composing legal type letters, which you are more than qualified to do...stuff like that listed on the flyer...you can also get work from anywhere by email and you return the "edited" version same way...

...I'll make you a little website for it to kick you off, just pick a name you like;)...

Roxanne

[poconogal]

Awww Rox, you would do that for me? You are a wonderful person! :angel:

I actually wouldn't know how to do a website.

Hmmmm, a name.... oh, I'm not good at that at all. Maybe now I should ask for suggestions? Okay, everybody, suggestions?

Got any suggestions, Rox? Maybe something like Superior Transcription and Bear Taming... how's that?

[Scribbles]

Thanks, Chris! That google typing thing though is a scam. I googled it, LOL!! They charge peoples' credit cards $75 to send info, and then hit it again and again, monthly. Apparently what they send is a CD with some junk on it, certainly not worth $75 monthly. Oh, from what I read, the $75 is supposed to be for contacts from them. What it really amounts to is a scheme to sell those useless CDs!

Sorry, I thought that it might be something decent. It pi$$e$ me off that they can get away with stuff like that. Capitalism at it's worst I guess.

Another thought...could you legally wright up liability waivers etc. for people? When I had my riding school I couldn't afford a lawyer to do this and had to "borrow" text from other contracts that I saw. You can buy these online but sometimes they are just too generic. I don't know what the laws are in your state regarding this but they are pretty gray in WA.

Chris

[Roxanne]

Hmmmm, a name.... oh, I'm not good at that at all. Maybe now I should ask for suggestions? Okay, everybody, suggestions?

Got any suggestions, Rox? ..?

...why don't we get everybody to throw some ideas around and you can choose the one you like best?

I'll kick off with ....

......PoconoProofing..

come on SimplyItes, let's brainstorm for Connie:)

Rox