Court reporting is a profession that is driven by the current state of the legal industry. When more cases go to court, additional jobs are created throughout the legal field. Given the anticipated growth of the industry, career opportunities for court reporters are also increasing. The Bureau of Statistics in the United States Department of Labor predicts the number of employed court reporters to increase 14% in the decade between 2010 and 2020. The demand for court reporters is as strong as ever, and it will continue to increase going forward. As such, our company is optimistic about the state of the industry.
Becoming a Court Reporter
The rising need for court reporters may lead individuals toward the career. To become a court reporter, generally one must complete a course of study and earn a license in the field that is granted by the local government. As part of the licensing process, a person may be required to first become a notary public. To get a license, a person needs to complete an approved certification course, and there may be additional education requirements after working in the field for several years. On-the-job training is required in some areas.
Court reporting certification classes are offered at community colleges and vocational schools. Certification is granted by professional court reporting organization including the National Court Reporters Association and the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers. As part of the certification process, individuals must meet speed and accuracy typing standards. Some organizations require court reporters to type over 225 words per minute to gain certification.
The training needed to become a court reporter and the requirements that must be met can increase the demand for court reporters by proxy. As it takes time and effort to attend classes and learn to become a stenographer, openings within the field may not get filled as quickly as they become available. Individuals looking to start a career in a growing field may want to consider working as a court reporter.
Why work in a legal field?
A job in the legal industry can be rewarding and open up new career opportunities. Trained court reporters can do much more than just take court depositions. Today’s court reporters transcribe conference calls and digital video recordings. They are hired to record speakers at live events, and they can take video depositions. Working as a court reporter can expose a person to all aspects of the legal field, and it can lead to other opportunities in digital recording and editing.
The growth of the industry is another reason to work in a legal field. With demand outpacing the supply of trained stenographers, there is room for new people to enter the profession and discover the benefits of working as a court reporter.
Skills Used
A court reporter must be able to hear understand words spoken in a number of different accents and intonations. Though digital recordings help with this issue, sound may not always carry well in an area, so reporters learn to cope with hearing problems to prevent missed words. Good listening skills are critical in a court reporter.
Other than listening, a court reporter must also possesses impeccable typing skills. Accuracy and speed are both necessary to ensure the quality of a transcription. Court reporters learn type at such a fast pace and without making mistakes while gaining certification and completing coursework. The demands of the career may widen the gap between the number of trained, skilled court reporters and the amount of work that is available within the profession.
New Technology
Court reporting is evolving along with the rest of world as technology improves. Now, words that are transcribed verbatim in real time can be displayed with a live digital broadcast. Some in the field may have feared that technology would displace the need for court reporters. As the numbers show, nothing could be further from the truth. Better technology has actually increased the number of people who need specialized transcription services.
Moving Forward
Individuals interested in a court reporting career can be rest assured that jobs will be waiting for them after they complete training requirements. Businesses that hire a company to transcribe audio know that the people transcribing their depositions and captioning their real time digital videos are trained to type quickly and correctly. If you need audio transcribed, contact us today to learn more about the variety of transcription services we have available. We deliver documents on time, and we can turn around orders quickly. The numbers indicate our industry is moving along at a rapid pace and demand for our services will continue to increase into the future, so give us a call to find out how we can help you.
Sources
