Scopsit -- rats! Scopist...

[Laurie H.]

Let me start by saying I'm not perfect.  I am human, after all. 

I recently posted an ad elsewhere for a reporter whom I'm working with.  She is super busy, but she just can't find a scopist that's worth their salt.  I feel terrible that she's in this predicament but I can't help her because we're on different software.  I do, however, proof her jobs.  Being a proofreader can be enlightening as far as what some who hang their shingle as scopist feel is good work.  And it's frightening. 

I hate to rat out my fellow scopist, but I've encouraged her to fire at least one of her scopists and/or told her to offer only part of the scopist's rate.  It was that bad.  I'm embarrassed for the occupation as a whole if this is what's being produced and understand completely why some of you don't use us.  Yet, there's nothing I can do about it. 

Anyway, I posted this ad and got an email.  In the first two sentences of the email were two spelling errors.  Am I being too judgmental to not pass this name on to my reporter because of the errors?  The respondent stated she overlooked the errors because she was in a hurry to answer my ad.  To me, she shot herself in the foot.  Your thoughts?

[D Sanders, RDR, CRR]

If they wrote the ad and it had errors -- like i got a couple weeks ago -- not happening.  if they answered an email from a phone or ipad, I cut them some slack. 

however, I can usually tell in the first 30 pages if a scopist is any good.  And I test all my proofers especially at the beginning and periodically throughout the job.

@Roberta- i remember being a new reporter and thinking I had to do everything fast-fast-fast.  Did you chat with her and tell her that was not acceptable or did you just cut off contact with her?  I think some education is in order here....

[Roberta-Anne Schmitt]

I agree wholeheartedly.  I was intending on training a new reporter.  I asked her to send me a sample of a job I had her sit in on.  She sent me a job with a tremendous amount of errors and said she was "too busy" to fix them as she wanted to get me the job quickly.  Well, that quickly ended my wanting to train her to be a new reporter.  If, at this stage of the game, when she's not even IN the game, she doesn't take the time to fix her errors, then when?  No thanks.  I'll pass.  

[Judy]

I've tried to tell scopists/proofreaders again and again -- as politely as I can -- your first couple of written responses back to your potential new client are your interview... don't mess it up.  Same thing goes for each and every keyboard stroke you make for online posts.  This is your calling card, your cover letter.  If you're looking for new clients, why would you let something go out that has errors?  I mean, seriously, this is what you're being hired to do!  Believe you me, I know why... they don't know the difference.  And it's pitiful that reporters will actually "pay and cut bait" instead of calling them out and saying, "No, reduce your invoice because this work is inadequate."

 

[Patricia Babits]

Oh, sorry.  Got it. Since it was her first impression, I think it still shows carelessness on her part. I make typos in emails, especially on my phone, but I would try for a potential client, so I would probably still not refer her to your reporter.

[Laurie H.]

No, Patricia.  I had the ad.  The scopist had errors in her email response to my ad.

[Patricia Babits]

I would say not hiring a mechanic or babysitter because of spelling errors might be a bit judgmental. I would never, ever hire a scopist with spelling errors in their ad.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Big mistake as far as I'm concerned.  If she/he doesnt' see that, then they're not worth using in the first place.  Now you know why Judy and I go on about all the terribel scopists out there.  It's shocking, seriously.

I do have to say that right now I've found about four pretty decent scopists that I'm happy with.  It's taken years to get here, however.  Never-ending search.....

[Dean Morris]

Absolutely unconscionable on the scopist's part.  Could not even spellcheck, as though checking spelling takes an inordinate period of time?  I would definitely NOT use that scopist.