College graduates are having a difficult time finding work, and are returning to grad school and community college in large numbers. Those who are talented musicians or video gamers may want to consider court reporting — one of 2013’s “Top Jobs.” The court reporting profession offers a secure income stream and provides a service to the hard-of-hearing and legal community that imparts a sense of personal fulfillment that very few professions can claim.
If you are passionate about words, can process information quickly, are nimble on the keyboard, have an excellent ear for sound, are prepared to work as long as it takes to get the job done, and willing to drive or fly wherever your client is taking testimony, whether it be in America, Canada, Europe or mainland China, then you may make an awesome court reporter.
Mark Kislingbury, the world’s fastest court reporter, stroking upwards of 360 words per minute, was a die-hard video gamer before he entered the reporting profession. He advocates a steno theory that utilizes a lot of “short forms,” which enable the reporter to “write” entire words, phrases and sentences in just one stroke.
But don’t think that the road to becoming a professional court reporter is easy. To the contrary, according to the National Court Reporters Association ’06 report, just 5% of those who enroll in court reporting programs nationwide graduate. That explains why there are so many court reporting positions worldwide, and why court reporters are so desperately needed. Look at what it really takes to be successful before you invest, and after careful deliberation, if you think you have what it takes, the hard-of-hearing and legal communities will be grateful to you for the incredible service you provide.