Why is Transcribing Interviews Important?

Benefits of Transcribing Interviews

Beyond having a written record of the interview, an audio to text transcription is especially useful and offers other benefits including improved accessibility, improved communication, and better analysis.

Accurate Record-Keeping

At its simplest, an audio transcription service gives you a written record of an interview. This text file can be filed and stored in your company or personal records and it will never go away. It’s always there and can always be referred back to in the case of disputes, or the need for further analysis.

Transcription files allow you to create accurate records of interviews and meetings instead of simply relying on memory or hastily written paper notes.

For Further Analysis and Research

Interviews usually have a limited timeframe. You may have a backlog of interviews to get through in a day for example, or you might not have the time for lengthy meetings. Either way, they are usually short, and there is only a limited amount of detail you can extract from them as they unfold.

By using a transcription service you can take your time afterwards to perform extensive research and analysis on the interview. The transcribed text file can be used indefinitely and you can use it to benefit your interviewing process and decision making without any time constraints.

To Improve Accessibility and Sharing

How do you share what happened in an interview with someone else? You have to use your memory to recall what happened and verbally tell them. This isn’t an exactly robust form of sharing and can be unreliable if time has passed and your memory has become a little foggy.

Using an audio transcription service negates this and makes the accessibility and sharing of interviews infinitely better. Instead of trying to drudge the depths of your memory to recall what happened, you can simply send the transcribed text document to people who need it!

To Reduce Misinterpretation and Errors

The atmosphere during an interview is often tense with high pressure levels and this can lead to information being misinterpreted. During the interview, you could misunderstand what someone said, or completely miss something important they contributed.

Mistakes like this can be costly and could lead to false impressions from the interview. By using an audio-to-text transcription service, nothing is missed or misinterpreted. You have a written record of exactly what was said.

You can then analyze it to discern exactly how the interview unfolded, and if there were things that you didn’t pick up on that could be important. It also means you have irrefutable proof if someone involved tried to dispute something that was said during the interview.

For Improved Communication During the Interview

Have you ever been in an interview where the interviewer was continually stopping to take notes? I have found this can be disruptive and break the flow of the interview. It can also put unnecessary pressure on the person being interviewed as they can find themselves wondering exactly what the interviewer is writing!

By recording and transcribing interviews, there is no need for manual note-taking. This allows for better communication during the interview and allows it to flow more naturally. Both the interviewer and interviewee can concentrate on what’s being said, and getting value from the interview as opposed to being engrossed in note-taking.

Things to Remember When Transcribing Interviews

Audio transcription services must always be used carefully and with pre-planning. Things to remember include:

• The audio transcription must comply with local laws.
• You must obtain the consent of all the parties involved to record the interview.
• Written records of the interview must comply with local data protection laws .

Firstly, you’ve got to be legally able to transcribe the interview, and depending on your region there could be privacy laws preventing this. Secondly, if it’s legally fine, it’s ethical (and often a legal requirement) that you inform all involved parties and obtain their consent to record the meeting.

Lastly, any document you create from the interview must comply with data protection laws. This includes things like correct storage, information sharing, and security measures to protect the person’s privacy.

Get The Most From Your Interviews With An Audio Transcription Service

As you can see, transcribing an interview can be invaluable and you can get so much more from the process. It allows for a clearer understanding of what happened, reduces the chance that important information was missed, and can also improve communication during the interview itself.