Transcribers listen to dictated recordings made by professionals from a variety of fields, and transcribe them into related documents, correspondence, and other administrative material. They generally listen to recordings on a headset, using a foot pedal to pause the recording when necessary, and key the text into a personal computer or word processor, editing as necessary for grammar and clarity.
To understand and accurately transcribe dictated reports, transcribers must understand industry terminology, context, and procedures. They also must be able to translate jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms. To help identify terms appropriately, transcribers refer to standard reference materials—both printed and electronic; some of these are available over the Internet.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook