Interviews are a crucial element in any business or organization. In terms of hiring interviews, you will most likely only refer to them days or weeks after they occur. This leaves room to forget the details discussed during the interview, which hurts your decision-making capabilities. One way to ensure this does not happen is if you record and transcribe the interview for easy reference.
All About Interview Transcription
By creating an interview transcript, you can review the discussion later to help you determine the right course of action. This post outlines the steps to transcribe an interview and the benefits of doing so.
Steps to Create Interview Transcripts
The first step to creating an interview transcript is recording the event. Once you conclude your discussion, you can then begin transcribing it. Most professional transcribers take 3 to 4 hours to transcribe an hour-long interview. As a beginner, it may take you longer.
If you don’t have the time or energy to generate the transcript yourself, you can bank on the service of a professional transcription company. Click here for more information on outsourcing transcription services.
Here is how you create an interview transcript:
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Listen to the Recording
If you didn’t sit through the interview, spare some time to listen to the entire audio before you begin transcribing. Listening will allow you to analyze the recording and choose a transcription method.
As you listen, note the number of speakers, length of audio, and the terminology used during the interview.
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Gather the Proper Transcribing Tools
Transcription requires a couple of tools. The three essential ones include an audio player, headphones, and a word processor. Noise-canceling headphones are great because they allow you to listen without distractions.
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Choose a Transcription Format
Before you begin transcribing, determine the level of detail you desire. Doing so will enable you to choose a transcription format. Transcription falls into two broad categories: full verbatim and clean verbatim.
In full verbatim, you will transcribe every word, pause, and sound uttered in the audio. Clean verbatim, by contrast, requires you to transcribe only the words without false starts, repetitions, and various filler words.
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Start Transcribing in Short Intervals
Listen to the recording and type it word by word. You can pause, rewind, and slow down the playback to ensure you catch every word or sound.
Remember to identify the speakers and add timestamps if necessary. Also, try transcribing in short intervals so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.
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Proofread Your Transcript
Once you finish creating the transcript, replay the audio as you proofread your text. Proofreading will help you identify errors and fill in speech you had difficulty catching the first time around.
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Format Your Transcript Document
Your last step will be to format the transcript to make it more readable. Formatting entails changing fonts, splitting text into paragraphs, and adding titles, page numbers, and headers. Remember to include the interview date, location, and names of the participants.
Benefits of Creating Interview Transcripts
How does an interview transcript help you and your organization?
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Saves You Time and Money
Transcripts enable you to revisit the discussion and scan for the information you need from the interview. You won’t have to schedule a new meeting to clarify details you can’t recall.
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Increases Accuracy in Details
Transcribing helps ensure the accuracy of information. Accuracy is particularly crucial if an interview is for research or hiring purposes. You won’t have to worry about working with falsified details.
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Aids in Collaboration
If the interview calls for more than one decision-maker, you can create a transcript and share it with other team members. It’s better for the other decision-makers to read the interview transcript rather than rely on your words. This way, everyone can form an independent decision about the interview.
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Helps You Be Present During the Interview
Knowing that you will create an interview transcript later allows you to stay present and engaged during the interview process. You won’t have to take notes on the candidate’s responses. You can focus wholly on the interview.
Closing Thoughts
Transcription is not a complicated process, but it can get time-consuming. It may derail you from performing other tasks in your job. If you don’t have the time to create the interview transcripts, you can always get a professional to do it for you. Doing so allows you to focus on more essential functions.
