Transcriptionist Resume Example
If you're hoping to start a career as a transcriptionist, you'll need experience in editing transcribed documents and ensuring accuracy standards. A professional resume for transcriptionist applications will showcase your relevant skills and career achievements, to help you stand out from the crowd. In this article, we'll discuss how to create a transcriptionist resume that catches the eye of employers, with tips and examples to help you write your own.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your transcriptionist applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your transcriptionist resume.
Main elements of a transcriptionist resume
It's essential to include a few core sections in your transcriptionist resume, while there are also a few optional sections. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header
The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.
Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.
Emery Johnson
emery.johnson@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
linkedin․com/in/emery–johnson123
Resume Summary
Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for transcriptionist roles.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for transcriptionist roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for transcriptionist jobs below.
Good example:
Detail-oriented Transcription Specialist with extensive experience in accurately transcribing audio and video recordings into written format. Proficient in handling high-volume assignments with tight deadlines, ensuring timely and precise deliverables. Strong proficiency in various transcription software and tools, coupled with excellent grammar, punctuation, and editing skills. Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and uphold industry standards for data security
Bad example:
Transcription specialist with experience in turning audio and video into text. Used to working on many projects quickly and making sure they are done right. Familiar with different tools for transcription and good with language details. Can keep things private and follow rules for keeping information safe
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your transcriptionist resume summary
Skills
Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for transcriptionist jobs. These could be grammar and punctuation, strong grammar knowledge or various other relevant skills. Again, refer to the transcriptionist job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.
Highlighting your hard skills
Hard skills are the key technical skills required for transcriptionist positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in transcriptionist roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. Aim to include four or five key hard skills. If you have space, explain how and where you've used that skill to create successful outcomes in your career. These skills will demonstrate your credentials and show how you meet the job description.
You'll make more impact with your resume hard skills list if you focus on technical skills that reflect your unique expertise and specialism, and that match the key requirements in the job description. See the graphic below for some tips on hard skills for a transcriptionist resume.
- Typing speed proficiency
- Audio editing software
- MS Word expertise
Soft skills on your transcriptionist resume
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. You should generally look to include up to five soft or transferable skills that match the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a transcriptionist resume, see below.
- Attention to detail
- Time management skills
- Excellent listening skills
Education
Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for transcriptionist roles.
Working as a transcriptionist doesn't usually require a degree. Even though a degree-level education isn't a necessity, it's still important to highlight your key educational achievements, including a Certified Transcriptionist Credential or other courses or training that showcases your typing speed proficiency or audio editing software.
List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Arts in English, 2017 - 2020
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
Certifications and Training
Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a transcriptionist. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.
Below you can find several examples of certifications for a transcriptionist resume:
- Certified Transcriptionist Credential, 2022
- Medical Transcription Certification, 2022
- Legal Transcription Certification, 2022
Work Experience
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a transcriptionist. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.
A good resume work experience section includes your most relevant previous jobs and highlights your key achievements in each role. To make the best possible impression on hiring managers, make sure each entry in your work experience section references skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you added value to each role with quantifiable evidence and outcomes. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
Good example:
Transcription Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Verbatim Solutions Inc, Chula Vista
- Delivered 99% accurate transcriptions for over 500+ audio hours across diverse industries including legal, medical, and business
- Reduced turnaround time by 30% through implementation of advanced transcription software and streamlined workflow processes
- Trained and mentored a team of 10 junior transcriptionists, enhancing overall team productivity and quality standards
Bad example:
Transcription Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Verbatim Solutions Inc, Chula Vista
- Responsible for transcription tasks across various sectors
- Improved efficiency through new tools and methods
- Provided guidance and support to team members
See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.
Expert Tip:
Include transferable skills gained from any prior jobs, volunteer work, or personal projects, such as "managed schedules for a team of five" or "handled cash transactions accurately and efficiently." (1) Avoid using overly technical jargon and keep your descriptions straightforward for clarity. (2)
Additional Information
There are several additional sections you could add to a transcriptionist resume, to improve your chances of success. Take a look at the sections below and add any that help you show how and why you're right for the job.
Personal Hobbies and Interests
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a transcriptionist resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Only include hobbies and interests that showcase your personality and personal qualities, and add something different to your application.
Volunteer Experience
Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your transcriptionist resume. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.
References
Standard transcriptionist resumes don't tend to include references, but you might find them requested occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.
References will be available upon request.
Best words to use in a transcriptionist resume
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Transcribe
- Proofread
- Edit
- Format
- Document
- Review
- Type
- Listen
- Interpret
- Compile
If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.
Example of a transcriptionist resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your transcriptionist resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
•
emery.johnson@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/emery–johnson123
Experienced Transcription Specialist with a strong background in accurately transcribing audio and video content into text format. Proficient in maintaining high levels of accuracy and attention to detail while meeting tight deadlines. Skilled in utilizing transcription software and tools to enhance efficiency and ensure the quality of transcriptions. Proven ability to handle diverse subject matters and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information. Strong organizational and time management skills, with a commitment to delivering exceptional results.
Transcription Specialist
2020
-2022
VerbatimVibes Ltd (Aurora)
- Transcribed 500+ audio hours with 99% accuracy, improving efficiency and reducing turnaround time by 30%
- Trained and mentored 15 new hires, enhancing team productivity and ensuring adherence to industry standards
- Implemented advanced transcription software, increasing overall transcription speed by 40% and reducing error rates significantly
Typing speed proficiency
Audio editing software
MS Word expertise
Attention to detail
Time management skills
Excellent listening skills
Certified Transcriptionist Credential
Medical Transcription Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for a transcriptionist resume
Tips for best resume practices
- Tailor your resume for each application you send. Review the job description and adapt the content to reflect the specific requirements, including key skills and experience.
- Order your work experience in a reverse-chronological timeline, starting with your most recent position.
- Aim for a brief, concise transcriptionist resume. One page is ideal for junior roles, while two pages are more suitable for senior positions.
- Quantify your career achievements by including evidence of your impact throughout your resume.
- Write a compelling resume summary or objective to introduce yourself and your key transcriptionist skills.
Avoid these common mistakes on your resume
- Don't mention hobbies or interests unless they help you prove a skill required for the role, that you haven't included elsewhere.
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
- Don't use elaborate formatting or layouts. These can make your transcriptionist resume less readable and harder for applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan.
- Don't fill your resume with unnecessary details. Focus everything on showing you're right for the job.
- Don't forget to keep your contact information up to date, to ensure the employer can contact you if necessary.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. There are several things you can do when writing your transcriptionist resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS to scan.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
- Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.
For advice and guidance on creating the perfect resume, read our expert career blog and check out our detailed resume examples.
Frequently Asked Questions for a transcriptionist resume
Alongside your transcriptionist resume, it's important to produce a professional cover letter that creates a similar positive impact on the reader.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
For a full, traditional cover letter, follow formal letter-writing conventions with your header, address line and greetings. The main text of the letter tends to be split into three short paragraphs. Firstly, introduce yourself, confirm the role you're applying for and explain why you're applying for the transcriptionist role. In the second paragraph, highlight your skills and experience that are most relevant to the job description. The third paragraph gives you the opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the role and your gratitude to the employer, while leaving a call to action which encourages them to make contact with you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
For an experienced transcriptionist, the resume is an account of your achievements and the skills you've gained through your career. Your transcriptionist resume is likely to have a longer work experience section than resumes for less experienced candidates, any you may wish to go back further than the standard 10 to 15 years of employment history, depending on your experience levels. In your transcriptionist resume, think about any optional sections you could add to help prove your standing and reputation in your industry. Sections such as awards, achievements and projects can build a picture of your career successes to date.
You can use a resume headline to introduce your document and set the tone for your transcriptionist applications. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Write a few words to set the tone for your resume, including the job title, your experience or track record and one or two key skills that make you stand out.
See below for an example of a well-constructed resume headline:
- Entry-Level Transcription Specialist
- Expert Transcriptionist for Precise Documentation
- Expert Senior Transcription Specialist
The best resume format for you depends on two things. Firstly, it depends on your experience level. Secondly, it depends on the type and level of position you're applying for. For entry-level roles, or situations where you're changing to a new career, a functional resume is often the best option. This places your skills and education above your work experience. If, however, you have relevant work experience in the industry, it's typically best to use a reverse chronological resume format. This highlights your achievements in work, which is probably the most important factor for hiring managers to consider.
Takeaways for a winning transcriptionist resume
Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.
Jobseeker has a wealth of resume tools, including resume templates and examples, to help you create a winning job application. Sign up today to get started. Jobseeker's expert-designed cover letter generator can help your applications make a strong first impression on hiring managers. Find detailed cover letter examples to complement your resume and get your application noticed.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
