Value Mature Transcriptionists Bring to Work With Their Experience

Science has confirmed it: With age comes wisdom--at least when it comes to understanding that things are not always as they appear.

This is according to a 2016 study conducted by the experts at Swathmore College. They found that older adults are better than their younger counterparts at determining the slope of a hill. Why? It all comes down to life experiences.

So while society seems to value youth over aging, the truth is that in many situations, it pays to invest in experience--especially when it comes to Transcription services. However, this is not to say that promising young transcriptionist are always found to be wanting as compared to their more mature counterparts.

Sure, younger people might be more comfortable using today's technology, at least at first. And you might think that their fingers are more nimble, their hearing more precise and their overall computer skills more confident.

But what about the practical wisdom that comes with life experience?

Maturity, real-world work histories and an understanding of how the world really works make mature transcriptionists worth their weight in gold.

Here's why:

They're reliable

While it's true that the vast majority of transcription professionals are between 18 and 34, a full quarter of the workforce is 40 or older. And that's a good thing.

Many times, mature transcribers have fewer distractions, fewer obligations and more flexibility than their younger colleagues. And this makes them more reliable.

Their children have grown up and gone off to college or joined the workforce. They might be retired or nearing retirement age. They have more discretionary time on their hands. And through decades of working in a variety of industries--from corporate settings to government agencies to non-profit organizations--they have developed a work ethic that has stood the test of time.

All of this adds up to reliability.

Also Read: Growing Needs of Transcription Services in Government and Non-Profit Organizations

They're professional

Some things simply can't be learned by watching a video on YouTube or reading a textbook. Professionalism is one of these things.

Older transcriptionists tend to have spent years working in professional settings. By working 40 hours a week, at least 50 weeks a year in businesses, they have seen what it means to meet deadlines, getting work done error-free and delivering projects properly.

And they bring this professionalism to their transcription job.

They're intuitive

Sometimes a transcript just needs to be a clean, verbatim record of what was said. This is a pretty straight-forward process. You hear it and you transcribe it.

But what about when the client wants a little more context?

What about when tone, tenor, phrasing, and inflections matter? That's when a more mature transcriptionist shines. That's when being able to intuitively extract the unspoken "meaning" behind words, phrases and tones matters.

Having a greater bank of experiences from which to draw makes mature professionals more effective at accurately capturing the true meaning of the words being spoken.

They're confident

Sure, many young employees have confidence--at least until they run into a situation they haven't seen before.

The nice thing about older workers is that they have spent decades solving unexpected problems. They understand the importance of context, perspective and time. If they run into an issue, they tend to have the confidence it takes to find a solution--or the confidence to ask for help.

In other words, older workers have the confidence it takes to solve problems quickly and without a lot of drama.

They're less distracted

In today's world, it can be difficult to escape distractions. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat and who really knows how many other social media platforms are constantly calling out.

Older workers are better at ignoring the siren songs of social media than their younger colleagues.

And this isn't just a stereotype. It's according to a researcher at the University of California, who says that there is no such thing as "multitasking" because the brain can actually only focus on one thing at a time.

Older workers tend to be less enthralled with social media. They can wait to check to find out what their friends are up to because they spent decades working in a world without all the distractions.

Somewhat surprisingly, this can actually make them more efficient than younger workers.

They're loyal

Understandably, younger people often feel like they have something to prove. They're often working to build their resumes, move on to the "next big thing" and make more money.

On the other hand, older employees often have nothing to prove.

They're just working to do a good job and make money. This leads to loyalty. They appreciate the opportunities that being a transcription services professional provides to them--and they reward those with whom they work with loyalty.

Maturity matters.

The good news is that there are many outstanding opportunities for experienced professionals in the transcription services industry--and GMR Transcription offers mature transcriptionists a great place to work.

Related Read: How to Choose the Best Transcription Service for Your Business