Court reporting at home is interesting as well as lucrative. There are many career options available in modern times. You need to evaluate yourself honestly and sincerely – only then you will find the right career option that matches your aptitude, interest and the amount that you can earn. Recession and economic slowdown has hit the market hard and layoffs have become a regular event. In these troubled times, if you are a professional court reporter, you stand to lose nothing. You don’t need to worry about job placement if you are new, and you don’t need to panic even if you have been in the field for several years. In court reporting, demand is higher than supply.
As the name suggests, a court reporter (also known as stenographer) essentially is identified with the legal fraternity. A court reporter has to write verbatim, the proceedings of the court that includes all arguments and counter arguments by the defense lawyer, the prosecutor, the witnesses as well as the jury. Many law firms are on the lookout for professional court reporters that do freelancing and work form home. This is one of the main reasons why Court reporting at home is a viable career option.
You first need to assess yourself on the following fronts; written English including grammar should be your forte, ability to concentrate for long hours, good listening skills, general knowledge is a must, shorthand knowledge is a necessity and ability and speed to type at least 180 to 220 words per minute. These are the bare minimum requirements that you must possess. In order to become a good court reporter you have to excel on all the above-mentioned points. Degrees and certification will help you get more work as well as quality assignments. With all the above criteria’s under your belt you will find court reporting at home to be a very lucrative career option.
Get yourself enrolled with National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) and become a certified Registered Professional Reporter (RPR). You can also get further certifications in case you opt for higher qualifications from NCRA. You can either opt for Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) or Certified Real-time Reporter (CRR). These certifications help you get better assignments from good companies/ firms, and this translates into more money. You can start Court reporting at home on your own terms and conditions, in case you have the above certifications and the desire.
Apart from the legal jobs that you will get sitting at home you can also think about doing Medical Transcription, corporate and business meeting transcription as well as jobs relating to the television industry. You can do all or any of the above assignments from the comfort of your home. You are your boss and nobody stands in your way, but you should bear in mind that deadlines are of utmost importance in this industry. Court reporting at home can allow you to earn a handsome income.
You can also start your own court-reporting firm from home if you want to, and employ other court reporters. Your personal relations and networking will be sufficient for you to get enough work for your firm. Word of mouth publicity is the best way of advertising in this industry. If you are able do the job in a professional manner you will automatically start getting good assignments and your income will increase. Court reporting at home is therefore a very lucrative and profitable career. You can even think about switching your career in case you are not satisfied with your existing career.
