Outsourcing is not something new.
In fact, this has been common practices among businesses for years, but with the increasing number of businesses sending work overseas, and our economy in a declining state, are we being robbed of our jobs? When I say robbed, of course, I don't mean in the physical sense, but it's really sad when a transcriptionist who made $.
08 cents per line more than 20 years ago is now being offered the same if not less to work today.
Depending on what side of the fence you're on will determine how you look at the situation.
If you are a company trying to stay in business you have two choices - offer lower rates or go out of business - BUT, you can send your work outside of the country and for mere pennies a day, you can get your work completed and returned.
I'm all for trying to cut costs to stay afloat, but there are two major concerns with this.
One, is my private information being sent across the seas for any and everyone to see, and two, why are those left jobless being offered editing work to correct the mistakes for a measly 2-3 cents per line? Is it really cost-effective when you have to pay someone to transcribe and then pay someone to edit and has quantity surpassed quality here in the U.
S.
? On the other side of the fence, we can't blame workers overseas for trying to make a living.
If the shoe were on the other foot, I'm quite sure we all would be dancing a jig and thankful for the abundance of work coming our way.
It's not like they said, "Give me all your work right now, or else.
" I do have to say that there are quality workers overseas and the stereotype that people in foreign countries have no skills is in fact just the opposite.
Just as with any geographical location, you have a mixture of those that can and those that try.
My argument is with those companies who suddenly have no work and without notice, you no longer have a job.
Why? Because they are secretly sending work overseas.
This has been a big debate in the transcription world and many have expressed their disgust with the situation in private and public forums.
What do you do in a situation like this? Do you keep quiet and pray that your job isn't eliminated even if you are making half of what you use to? Do you demand hire pay rates and talk yourself out of a job? You do what most people are doing and leaving the field completely because they cannot possibly make a decent living unless they are glued to their computer praying for jobs to come up so they can grab them before anyone else does.
This is a serious problem and it appears there is no simple solution in sight.
In fact, this has been common practices among businesses for years, but with the increasing number of businesses sending work overseas, and our economy in a declining state, are we being robbed of our jobs? When I say robbed, of course, I don't mean in the physical sense, but it's really sad when a transcriptionist who made $.
08 cents per line more than 20 years ago is now being offered the same if not less to work today.
Depending on what side of the fence you're on will determine how you look at the situation.
If you are a company trying to stay in business you have two choices - offer lower rates or go out of business - BUT, you can send your work outside of the country and for mere pennies a day, you can get your work completed and returned.
I'm all for trying to cut costs to stay afloat, but there are two major concerns with this.
One, is my private information being sent across the seas for any and everyone to see, and two, why are those left jobless being offered editing work to correct the mistakes for a measly 2-3 cents per line? Is it really cost-effective when you have to pay someone to transcribe and then pay someone to edit and has quantity surpassed quality here in the U.
S.
? On the other side of the fence, we can't blame workers overseas for trying to make a living.
If the shoe were on the other foot, I'm quite sure we all would be dancing a jig and thankful for the abundance of work coming our way.
It's not like they said, "Give me all your work right now, or else.
" I do have to say that there are quality workers overseas and the stereotype that people in foreign countries have no skills is in fact just the opposite.
Just as with any geographical location, you have a mixture of those that can and those that try.
My argument is with those companies who suddenly have no work and without notice, you no longer have a job.
Why? Because they are secretly sending work overseas.
This has been a big debate in the transcription world and many have expressed their disgust with the situation in private and public forums.
What do you do in a situation like this? Do you keep quiet and pray that your job isn't eliminated even if you are making half of what you use to? Do you demand hire pay rates and talk yourself out of a job? You do what most people are doing and leaving the field completely because they cannot possibly make a decent living unless they are glued to their computer praying for jobs to come up so they can grab them before anyone else does.
This is a serious problem and it appears there is no simple solution in sight.