Please contact us at Brickell Key Court Reporting by e-mail or call (305) 407-9993 to inquire about potential employment opportunities.
Benefits of Remote Court Reporter Jobs
There’s so much more to court reporting than just sitting in a courtroom. You also don’t have to be limited to a courtroom because talk shows, news, sports, and other TV channels also need reporters. This gives you many options as well as some other great advantages:
- Flexible working
- In-demand
- Variety
- Good salaries
Flexible working
Remote working is now part of everyone’s norm whereas it was previously only really used by entrepreneurial ex-pats posted across the globe. With remote working comes choice. You don’t have to simply go for remote court reporter jobs because you can also develop a portfolio of clients. These could be judicial or broadcast professionals.
Other options for reporters include transcribing webinars, press conferences, lectures, civic services, training seminars and so much more. If you enjoy variety while learning about many different topics, make sure you look into remote court reporter jobs.
In-demand
Court reporters are in huge demand and have been for several years. Sadly, more people retire every year than there are people entering the industry. Moreover, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates a 9% growth between now and 2029.
It’s always reassuring being part of an industry that needs you. Not only is your job more secure but it also gives you a range of opportunities to choose from. You’ll also learn how to be more effective with state-of-the-art digital technology which is a key skill for everyone these days.
Variety
Court reporters must remain neutral during court hearings and not comment or react. They can still listen though and you’d be amazed at how intriguing it can all be. You might be exposed to specialist cases in the medical field, for example, or in top media criminal cases which can be very exciting.
Some court reporters choose to specialize in certain fields such as legal or medical. They’re expected to know the ins and outs of technical jargon so they can spell it properly and understand it when it’s mentioned. These reporters are even more sought after.
Good salaries
The average salary is around $65,000 per year, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, above the average US salary of $56,000. Although, if you specialize and get known for your accuracy and professionalism, you could be in the top 10%. Those earn closer to $105,000 per year.
Obviously, some industries pay more such as banking and consulting. Nevertheless, you have to consider work-life balance. You’ll be doing far longer hours and sacrificing your weekends for those higher salaries.
Why Do a University Internship with Court Reporters
Financing your way through college and university is tough for anyone. Depending on your cash flow, you’ll need to work out your priorities. So, if you’re paying for everything, you might need quick and easy cash that usually come from jobs in hospitality.
Although, if you’re perhaps less strapped for cash, perhaps you can combine getting some cash along with gaining some experience? If you can, you’ll set yourself up in a much better position to get your first job after college more quickly.
There are other benefits of looking for an internship through remote court reporter jobs:
- Learn the process
- Appreciate the work environment
- Need for accuracy
- Insider tips
Learn the process
One of the obvious benefits is that you’ll get to watch a court reporter in action. This will give help you understand all the various aspects they work. Examples range from transcribing to recording and organizing the various files.
You’ll also get to sit in court and get a sense of how different every day really is. Sometimes the judge will need a court reporter to repeat what’s been said. At other times, they’ll need to check the lawyers have all the documents as required.
Appreciate the work environment
It isn’t easy imagining what the life of a court reporter is like. Most court reporter jobs sound interesting, but what does it feel like to sit in court for hours? What about then having to transcribe and double-check everything before the end of the day?
When a court hearing starts, the days can belong. Don’t forget though that court reporter jobs tend to be quieter in between hearings and depositions. For some people, that’s the perfect balance of being extremely busy along with some breaks.
Need for accuracy
All remote court reporter jobs will reiterate how critical accuracy is. During an internship, you’ll get to see what that really means. Even a seemingly harmless spelling mistake is unacceptable.
On top of that, transcripts need to be submitted punctually and even in real-time in most cases. Only by witnessing this in action along with the speed of how people speak can you fully appreciate the pressure.
Insider tips
All professions have tricks and tips to pick up so that you can excel at what you do. Learning these and perhaps even gaining a future mentor is one of the most useful aspects of any internship.
The fact that you’ll also have a network of professionals to tap into once you start working is invaluable. We all have questions and confusion when we start a new career so why not get all the chances on your side with people who can help you?
Skills Required to be a Great Court Reporter
If all of this sounds potentially interesting for you then check out the following skills to see if you could be a match for remote court reporter jobs:
- Attention to detail
- Organizational skills
- Technical terminology
- Ethics and professionalism
Attention to detail
As you can tell by now, attention to detail is what you’ll be living by as a court reporter. We all know by instinct whether we prefer details or focusing on the big picture. So, if you enjoy reviewing technical papers for consistency and grammatical errors, this job could be for you.
Perhaps you also seem to remember details about events that no one else does? Are you good at picking out different accents and do you proofread your work multiple times? These could all be signs that you enjoy detail.
Organizational skills
It’s important for transcripts to be submitted punctually. With the various formats available these days, you also need to be organized so that you know where to file and record them. You’ll also need to balance the various digital tools you’ll be using as well as the media files. These could be anything from audio, video to text and word.
Technical terminology
All court reporter jobs expect you to be familiar with legal and medical technical words. Moreover, part of the court reporting program teaches you the key points about the legal system so you can do your job well. It’s always helpful to know the wider context of where you fit in. This can also give you ideas for future career progression.
Ethics and professionalism
Court hearings are confidential. Furthermore, you’ll be accessing personal and financial details about a lot of people. The profession will get to know you and respect your discretion and trustworthiness. Any slight deviation could cost you your career so be sure that you can deliver on both confidentiality and professionalism.
Requirements for Remote Court Reporter Jobs
Now comes the interesting part. How do you become a remote court reporter?
Naturally, you’ll need to make sure that you can get a secure laptop but then the digital systems are usually provided by your clients and the courthouses. Then, you simply follow the process.
- Degree
- Current Notary Public
- Court reporter program
- License
Degree
Just like for most professions, you’ll need a degree that’s between 2 and 4 years long. It doesn’t matter what degree you choose although you might get a head start with something that involves writing.
Current Notary Public
Becoming a Florida Notary can seem like an overwhelming process, but, in truth, it can be completed in just 2 – 4 weeks. This depends on your availability and the time the Department of State needs to process your application.
Court reporter program
The National Court Reporters Association offers court reporter programs that normally take between 18 and 24 months. Some of them can be done remotely once you’ve finished your degree.
License
At the end of the program, you’ll sit an exam for you to get your professional license. This is recognized across the US so that you can work with any state from home.
Final Thoughts on Remote Court Reporter Jobs
Deciding what to do when you’re at university can seem like an insurmountable challenge at times. Sometimes it’s worth being a little strategic and targeting industries that need people, for example.
You might also want some flexibility and autonomy with how you do your job. If so, then check out remote court reporter jobs. You’ll especially appreciate them if you enjoy working with detail, variety, and digital tools. Moreover, it’s a useful transferable skill for several other industries such as journalism and broadcast reporting. You will really keep your options open if you apply to the court reporting program.
Please contact us at Brickell Key Court Reporting by e-mail or call (305) 407-9993 to inquire about potential employment opportunities.
