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What if I Have no Prior Proofreading Experience?


I’ve been asked several times by prospective students for reassurance they will be able to make money after taking my transcript proofreading course. They don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars in something if they’re not sure they’ll be able to recoup their investment (although millions of people spend thousands of dollars on a college degree all the time without such reassurance, but that’s another story for another day ;-)). I’ve also been asked a few times to prove I’m not the exception to the rule. There’s a thought that most people won’t actually make any money, even though many successful students have (and they make a good chunk despite a lack of an English degree, without prior proofreading experience, and with kids!).

Some folks are also looking for a guarantee of some kind, that if they pay for the course, they’ll make money guaranteed. I don’t guarantee that. I never will. And here’s why: I won’t guarantee students will make money because each student’s success depends 100% upon the student taking action, not my taking action for them. If someone takes the course then does nothing with the action plan, or they give up because it’s too hard, of course I can’t guarantee income from an obvious failure to act.

But all that said, I am proud to say NO, I am not the exception, and while I cannot guarantee everyone will have the same results I’ve had because there are so many variables, my students themselves are all the evidence necessary to strongly indicate that my transcript proofreading course truly is the perfect roadmap to help you earn income by proofreading transcripts for court reporters.

Meet Alicia. Alicia is a mother of two, works a full-time job in the city, and has no prior proofreading experience, and does not have an English degree. Being a parent, working a full-time job, not having an English degree, and not having prior proofreading experience are the top four objections/doubts/excuses I get from hundreds of prospective students thinking about enrolling in Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice.

Just this morning (April 14, 2015), Alicia voluntarily posted in our student group on Facebook about her success in her very first month as a proofreader. She has three clients. It took her between one and two months to complete the course, and about a month to get her first client.

Here’s Alicia’s post:

alicia

Alicia made over $1100 in her first month, despite the lack of an English degree, despite the full-time job, despite the two kids, and the lack of prior proofreading experience.

So how did Alicia do it?

First, she believed in herself. She knew she had an eagle eye, knew she was a hard worker, and she was willing to put in the time and effort it took to learn a new skill so she could pay off debt and live in financial freedom. Then, she enrolled in the course. She worked through all the material to gain confidence in her skills. She followed the instructions to get clients. And she hustled. Alicia made it happen.

Know this: if you are a hardworking, dedicated eagle eye who believes in yourself, the only way you can fail is if you just give up… or if you never start at all. Alicia knew going in this course was the real deal, no gimmicks, and no shortcuts. She knew she was going to have to work. She knew that success wouldn’t come overnight. Success does come little by little, though, with diligence and dedication, and her first $1100 in just a month is sheer proof.

I’ll be interviewing Alicia on video in the very near future and she’ll be able to share with us more about how she hustled and made it happen 🙂 I can’t wait to chat with her. As soon as I have the video, I’ll add it to this FAQ.

Your Turn!

What do you think about Alicia’s success? Are you inspired? A little intimidated? Doubtful? Excited for your own potential success? Let me know in the comments!


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  1. Caitlin this was great! Everything that I needed to hear!

  2. Alicia’s story is so inspiring! I am currently enrolled in the course and am looking forward to imitating the success that she and others have had. Deciding to sign up was a little scary, but I am extremely glad I did. Like Alicia, I have no previous proofreading experience and no English degree; however, the more I learn, the more confident I am that I’m on the right track. I know that once I complete the course I will be fully prepared to have a successful career as a legal proofreader.

    1. You have such a positive attitude, and that is so essential! 😀

  3. I really appreciate you posting this. I have a positive attitude, am a hard worker, and this is just the kind of job I have always wanted. Thank you Caitlin!

  4. I think Alicia’s success is awesome and i am so excited to enroll in the course. I too will make it happen. Thank you Caitlin.

  5. It’s so true! You have to put in the work to see the results! Thanks for sharing.

  6. Alicia’s story is very inspiring since I don’t have an English degree or any experience. I do have a medical background and I hope that will help me with any medical terminology that I might come across. I’m a stay at home mom now and that my kids are older, would like to help our family out financially. After taking the 7 day free course, I am really intrigued and am signing up for the full course. I’m excited to be starting this new adventure!

    1. Joann- have you completed the course now? Have you been working? I’m also a SAHM. I come from the advertising world and did a lot of proofreading of marketing material but have no experience with legal.

  7. Hi..
    Is it hard to get your first clients after taking the course? Are some areas over-satuated with proofreaders?

    1. Hi Robyn! Mileage varies. Some students have gotten clients as quickly as 20 minutes after starting their marketing, some students in a few days or a few weeks, others about a month. Sometimes it depends on timing, because reporters all have varying workloads and they might not be busy or need you when you initially contact them.

  8. Hi, Caitlin

    I’m on day 6 of your free 7 day course and I have decided to sign up for the real thing. I like everything I have seen so far and I have no doubt that success will depend on me.

    I do notice that most if not all student and graduate comments are from women. What does that mean? Please understand this is not intended to be a sexist comment. It’s meant to be a real question. Thanks. george

    1. Hi George! It’s true there are a lot of women in proofreading! The court reporting industry is also largely made up of women. It’s a valid question. Several of my clients are male reporters, though, and it really does not matter if you’re male or female — it matters that you’re talented and can deliver a quality product. You may encounter some folks who believe women are better, and they even have some “evidence” to back it up, but ultimately you have the power to show them otherwise 🙂

    2. Hey George, I was wondering the same thing 🙂 Thank you for asking the question I was afraid to ask. I’ve just enrolled in Caitlin’s free 7 day course and hope this might be a skill I can learn.

  9. Thank you, this is exactly what I needed to know. I am a SAHM of two, just starting homeschooling. No degree (I was too indecisive to finish with something I knew I wouldn’t do), but have always been somewhat of an Eagle Eye 😉 I was actually considering pursuing an English degree in the near future to get into editing! Recently I have been looking into general transcription as well. I thought you had to have experience doing that before being allowed to be a proofreader. My biggest concern moving forward with your course was whether or not I would be able to be successful without that background. The more I explore the more excited I am getting 🙂

    1. It tends to have that effect 🙂 The cool part is, the course GIVES you experience! Proofreading over 3,000 pages is no walk in the park!

  10. Wow. This is so inspiring! This totally gives me hope that this is something I can certainly do!

  11. I am seriously thinking of enrolling in the free 7 day course, but my concern is where do the clients come from. I live in South Dakota and am wondering if that is where my clients will come from or if they come from all over? Thanks

    1. You don’t have anything to lose by enrolling in a free course 🙂 You will learn all about where your clients would come from within that very course. Short answer: you can work for reporters all over the country. It’s one of the reasons I called my website “Proofread Anywhere” 🙂

  12. I am inspired and encouraged to go through this course. This course proves hard work pays off.

  13. Hi Caitlin. My name is James. I am enjoying the first few days of your free course. I feel sure that I will be signing up for your next, longer course soon.

    I have always been a bit nervous when starting new things. I’m determined, however, to work my way through this new venture for the sake of my family, if not for myself. I am cautiously optimistic because of teaching elementary school for over 20 years. I’ve graded/corrected tons of papers over the years.

    I feel like I’m not alone in this quest, and that really helps my anxiety level. Thanks!

    1. Glad to hear it, James! We look forward to welcoming you aboard. 😀

  14. I am enrolled in Jumpstart (Modules 1 and 2) and am about to jump into the next phase of the course. Alicia’s story has motivated me that one can earn extra money doing this while working a full-time job. I am still a little nervous and doubtful, but it has inspired me to move on so that I can get to the practice transcripts!

    1. That’s wonderful! Keep up the hard work, and you’ll do great!

  15. Alicia has inspired me. Even though I’ve always received praise for jobs well done, I tend to doubt myself and my abilities. My husband is my biggest supporter and he thinks I will be perfect for this career. The more I read, the more excited I become! Thanks for all of the information and encouragement to start on my new path!!

    1. We don’t have Alicia’s interview available.

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