Veritext Principal – Minneapolis
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Veritext Principal – New York
For those of you still in training, practice, practice, practice. Even when you’re sitting in a room full of people, on public transportation or in a movie, practice writing what you’re hearing in your lap without a machine.
Once you start reporting, join the national and state associations to stay current with what’s going on in the industry; and constantly hone your skills to become the best reporter you can be, with realtime reporting being your ultimate goal.
Keep up with technology. Always strive to be the best writer you can be. Get a mentor to help you through the first few years.
Love what you do and have passion about turning out a good work product. Be concerned about the comfort of other people and do your part to make them feel as at ease as possible in the situation. Keep the most up to date equipment – it makes your job easier to perform. Pass all the tests you would like to pass early on before life gets too busy.
Look at and work on your dictionary. Create new briefs for difficult phrases or words. If you stay on top of the technology, your job just becomes easier. Take CEUs that will make your job easier. Find a mentor to bounce ideas, issues and thoughts. Get your certifications as soon as you can after you graduate.
I do not believe you have to be the best writer or the best realtimer or have the most credentials — although all of that helps — but a great attitude and a willingness to continue to learn and grow will take you far. Believe in yourself. You can and will do this.
Be a life-long learner. Keep current on your equipment and software. When you achieve a certification, start preparing for the next one. (You can never have too many initials after your name, and they are key differentiators!) Become a subject expert in court reporting and customer service. There has never been a better time to be a court reporter. The work is plentiful and lucrative. Take care of the people you work for… and they will take care of you with work.
What makes a great court reporter is consistent practice and goal setting. Find a good mentor who loves the profession, put in as many hours as possible practicing and always remain focused on the goal of an amazing career that will be yours when you complete court reporting school.
Be honest, be ethical at all times and always treat people as you’d want to be treated. You may be hired by the “taking attorney,” but once in that deposition or hearing room, you are impartial and are there for the record, never for one side or the other. Stick with it. There are bumps in the beginning and a huge learning curve, but you’ll get past those with perseverance. It’s SO worth it! This profession comes with so, so many rewards.
If you are going to be a court reporter, be great in every way — not just on the machine. Be a team player. Engage with other reporters in a positive way. Dress and act like the jobs you want. Support the office and they will support you. Respect the people that have gone before you and remember that they have paved the way. Be a good person! This will draw momentum toward you as you begin an epic journey. And once you are on your way, look around to see who you can develop and support.
Practice, practice, practice. Never stop learning and working to get better at your craft. Strive to reach higher levels with more certifications. Be the best at what you do. If you’re a new reporter, find a mentor that you can bounce questions off of. Join professional associations that will broaden your horizons. Attend conferences and seminars that will empower you and help you become the best reporter you can be.
Find something interesting about each case you take, whether it’s the people you work with or the topic of the case. It’s a continued learning experience. Accept that you are in a service business and be tolerant of the case and the people you work with. Be flexible since each case is a live proceeding and the flow is not always predictable. Continue to hone your skills all the time. Always try your best. Don’t become complacent. Always walk into a case, whether in person or by Zoom with confidence and a smile. Introduce yourself to everyone at the beginning of the case, don’t be afraid to make eye contact, and thank them at the end of the case. For stenographic reporters, don’t always count on remembering a short form for every word,. Rely on phonetics and then Google it. This way, you will be open to accepting a greater variety of jobs.
