By Brittany Davies
Before working at Planet Depos I had almost no idea what a court reporter was. I knew my aunt was one when I was younger, but that meant almost as much to me as when Rachel thought Chandler was a “transponster” on an episode of Friends. Now with three years under my belt of learning about the career, I get to spread the court reporting gospel and the awesome perks and outlook for the future. Read on to learn about the advantages of this ever-evolving career!
1. Depending on how hard you work at constantly improving your court reporting skills, you could be presented with some really awesome opportunities. History is made every day. How fun would it be to be a part of it? Imagine yourself sitting front row at a State of the Union Address! Or maybe even reporting the deposition of a well-known figure (famous or notorious!). Do you like traveling and learning about new cultures? Maybe you’ll end up in Hong Kong or Australia in the ultimate test of your skills during arbitration.
2. You get to set your own schedule!. As an independent contractor working for a court reporting agency, you will let them know your availability and be scheduled accordingly. Of course, you’re paid only for the jobs that you take, so flexibility and availability are key to your success. There are also opportunities to work for court systems or government entities if you’re looking for a more stable schedule with benefits. You’ll know which is best for you, and you may change it up during your career – additional flexibility to suit your life at any given time.
3. Court reporting allows you to both have your space and be social. You’ll meet a lot of people — lawyers, paralegals, witnesses. You’ll hear a lot and learn a lot. While it’s obvious that you must remain unbiased and more or less seen and not heard during official proceedings, you still must build and maintain relationships. At the same time, you also have the freedom to go to your own space to complete transcripts.
4. And lastly, it’s a skill that pays off. According to the National Court Reporters Association’s Take Note Campaign, the starting salary of a court reporter is approximately $45k. For those court reporters who enhance their skills, knowledge and technical capabilities throughout their career, the earning potential is much greater. Court reporting is a career that affords you the opportunity to learn something about most everything.
Interested in learning more about how to become a court reporter? Check out NCRA’s Take Note. If you’re a reporter looking for a new or better opportunity, learn more about joining our team here!