Jess, Worcester
Our Listener – Jess, Worcester
“Listening deeply, one story at a time.“
For Jess, transcription began as something simple: a way to work remotely while caring for her family. Her sister had introduced her to Way With Words, and the idea of flexible work that could fit around daily life immediately appealed. Seven years later, it has become more than just a job. It’s a practice rooted in focus, empathy, and quiet purpose. Jess stayed because she found not only interesting work but also a sense of belonging. The team, she says, is “lovely,” and the transcripts are “interesting.” That combination of people and purpose has kept her motivated over time.
Her days in Worcester are full. With her husband and son, she spends weekends exploring trails, reading, or heading out to the coast to catch waves. She values time outdoors as much as she values words. It’s a balance between movement and stillness. Reading, hiking, and being in the sea restore the same sense of calm that helps her settle into long stretches of transcription.
Asked what first drew her to the work, Jess points to two things: flexibility and meaning. She discovered that transcription offers more than flexible hours; it also opens a window into countless lives and experiences. Over the years, she has encountered recordings that range from everyday conversations to deeply sensitive stories.
“One that comes to mind,” she writes, “is when there are highly sensitive files such as legal cases involving abuse. Despite the nature of the content, there’s never a shortage of transcribers who want to help bring justice to the situation.” That shared motivation – to do right by the person affected – reminds her why human transcribers remain so important. “It feels like you’re bearing witness to someone’s story,” she adds, “and making sure that they’re heard.”
The idea of bearing witness sits at the heart of Jess’s approach to transcription. It’s not only about accuracy or technical skill but also about care. Each recording carries real human voices, emotions, and consequences. In this sense, transcription becomes a quiet form of service: ensuring that someone’s words are preserved faithfully, often for research, journalism, or legal purposes where precision truly matters.
Some projects have stayed with her long after completion. “Usually research files that focus on social issues or organisations,” she explains. “They give you an insight into other people’s stories across the world that you otherwise wouldn’t have, increase your empathy, and inspire change.”
Sometimes, the connections are personal. “Recently I had an interview where the person was struggling with their mental health but found that exercise really helped. As someone who also struggles with mental health, I was inspired by them to really put exercise at the top of my to-do list.” In those moments, Jess finds that transcription doesn’t just reflect the world, it shapes how she sees her own life within it.
When asked what makes a great transcriber or transcription editor, Jess gives a straightforward answer: “Someone who has strong language skills, an active listener, someone who has an eye for detail.” Behind that simplicity lies something more profound: the understanding that attention and empathy go hand in hand. Listening carefully, noticing tone, and capturing meaning are acts of respect toward the speaker.
After seven years, Jess still values the culture that Way With Words has built. “I think I appreciate the personal nature of the team,” she writes. “I have never felt like ‘just’ a contractor working with them but always like a valued individual within the team.” That sense of being part of something human and supportive has made the work more than a remote task, it has become a community.
In the end, Jess’s story reflects what many find at the heart of transcription: a space where focus meets empathy. Through her work, she has learned that listening is not passive; it is active, attentive, and transformative. To listen well is to care, and in every transcript she completes, Jess carries that principle quietly forward.
Our Company – Way With Words
Way With Words provides professional transcription, captioning, and speech data services to clients worldwide. Behind every transcript are human transcribers like Jess – skilled listeners who bring accuracy, empathy, and understanding to every project.