New to Court Reporting? Here’s what you need to know to be a success.

Success at court reporting, or any career, begins with your commitment to your work and to the life you want. Whether your goal is freelance or full-time, your job is to deliver accurate transcripts or closed captioning for your clients. That takes planning and focus. Are you ready to get started? Here’s what you need to know.

Set Your Goals

Do you want to work freelance or fulltime? Freelance allows you to create your own schedule but a portion of that time is spent finding new clients. When you work full-time in court or with a legal firm, you are subject to their schedule but you have the peace of mind of a set schedule and income.

We recommend working with a firm or agency when you get started so you can learn best practices. With experience, you may choose to take on clients as a freelance court reporter.

Dress for Success

In a time where business suits seem out of place, even in the courtroom, we still believe in dressing for success. Even if you’re in your first days on the job, wearing dress pants, blouse or shirt, dress shoes, and fitted sweater or blazer best reflects you as a professional. After all, you’ve spent time, energy, and resources to go to court reporter school. You owe it to yourself and your clients to be the best version of yourself.

Punctuality

The best version of yourself isn’t just what you wear; it’s how you present yourself. Know the time and location of appointments, allow time for traffic, and arrive early. It’s better to be early, especially to a deposition, that to be late. Without you, proceedings cannot start on time and you’re likely to annoy your client or worse. Play it safe and make it a habit to be early.

Final Product

Your work is a reflection of you as a professional. Make it shine. Proofread, edit, and then walk away from the transcript for a time before sending it to a client. Take a walk. Grab a water and a snack. Do anything that’s not related to the case you’re working for just a few minutes. Then re-read the transcript. You might find errors you would have missed otherwise. Your client is sure to appreciate an error-free final product.

Court reporting is an exciting career with a growing number of possibilities inside and outside the legal field. Establishing yourself as a professional by delivering accurate transcripts, being on time for appointments, dressing for success, and understanding your own goals goes a long way to achieving success.

If you’re interested in learning more about Depo International services in Las Vegas or Minnesota, contact us today!