Learning about reporting is far different than actually working as a reporter. Students often worry about whether or not they’ll be able to handle a court reporting career, but there are steps you can take to avoid being unprepared for the life of a working court reporter.
Practice Good Time Management
First, you need to practice good time management while in school. Time management is essential to any job, particularly court reporting, since transcribing, editing, and furnishing a final transcript is time-consuming. You need to be able to handle your personal life and your professional life so that you can finish everything within a timely manner. Agencies appreciate it when you hand in work sooner than their standard deadlines. Time management is a highly important skill in the profession of court reporting.
Work On Your Steno Dictionary
Second, you need to work on your dictionary. Working on your dictionary after class and at home will help you tremendously. Teachers and reporters alike stress the importance of having a great dictionary. You can begin to work on adding to your vocabulary and even defining misstrokes. Defining your misstrokes will cut down on time spent proofing and editing transcripts. Readback will be easier as well, which is something that all reporters appreciate. The time you spend on your dictionary now will mean less time you will spend on building your dictionary when you begin working.
Build Stamina
Third, you need to build your stamina for writing. This is crucial since some teachers only dictate for twenty minutes at most. While any practice is helpful, the reality is that you need to practice far longer than that. Depositions often last for hours, and if you don’t have the stamina to keep going, you run the risk of stress due to fatigue. Find a way to practice longer stretches of writing to prepare yourself for the real work world. Try writing the news on TV or your favorite shows. This will build endurance.
Participate in an Internship
Fourth, you need to intern. Interning is probably one of the most important things you can do to benefit your journey into court reporting. Interning gives you real experience that can’t be learned in class. Some of the reporters you meet while interning will give you wisdom on how to excel in the career and may even become your mentors. Interning will build your stamina, writing skills and working knowledge. It also helps prepare you with traveling to different locations, which is a large part of the profession. It is important to become familiar with following directions correctly so that you arrive to a job on time. Interning will also provide you with valuable connections with agencies and reporters. It’s important to be friendly with everybody you meet, especially agency employees (that includes receptionists). People will remember you and provide feedback to their employers. Many students have been hired at reputable agencies because of their connections made during internships.
Keep Connections With Peers
Lastly, keep in contact with your friends from school. Moving from student to reporter is a daunting journey, so it is important to keep in contact with people who are on the same journey as you are. A support group consisting of other reporters will help you cope or laugh about situations that your family and non-reporter friends won’t understand. Your friends may also help you find work or even give you insight into the company culture of agencies for which they work.
While every individual is unique and there is not one perfect formula, these points will help smooth the transition from student to reporter. So be sure to practice healthy time management, work on your dictionary, build your stamina, become an intern, and remain friends with your peers. These will all serve as precursors to becoming a successful reporter.
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