Would you like to give yourself a raise?

I cannot imagine anyone saying no to that question.  How much you make is up to you.  For starters, making yourself more visible and available opens many doors to opportunity.  When you need more work, it helps to call around to the agencies that you enjoy working with the most and letting them know you are available.  Another suggestion is to take any assignment that comes your way.  Agencies like team players and an eagerness to help them out in a pinch is a highly desired asset.  Be ready to take anything from a simple incident eyewitness deposition to a highly technical trial.  Your versatility will make you more desirable and you will be sought out, which, in turn, makes you more money.  If there is a day during the week where you were not assigned a job, still get up in the morning and get ready for the day.  You can still wear your PJs, but be showered, bag packed and ready for anything and be ready to bolt.  You would be amazed at how many fabulous last-minute jobs you miss out on by not being ready.

Realtime.  When you hear the word realtime, your first thought may be, "I can't realtime."  If you run to realtime instead of run from it, you will realize how much you CAN realtime.  The first steps to realtime is adjusting your thoughts about it.  Realtime does not have to be sent to the attorneys to reap benefits from it....at least not in the beginning.  You must work yourself up to it.  "One cannot fly into flying." - Nietzsche.  The immediate benefits of learning to realtime is that you can produce your transcripts faster.  This, in turn, helps you produce your transcripts quicker which makes for happier clients, faster paychecks and more time doing the things you love best.  Set your laptop up on each job and work on your conflicts and briefs.  The more you improve your skills and the more you are comfortable setting up your equipment, the faster you will become comfortable with the reality that you are a realtime writer.

Hire a scopist or a proofreader.  Sure this will cost you money, but it will make you more than you spend and you increase your accuracy and efficiency.  It's a win-win.

So what are you waiting for?  Give yourself a raise right now!

Changes!

Change happens every day of our lives in every aspect.  There is nothing static about life.  We grow.  We learn.  We adapt.  Look at the history of the telephone.  From operators you had to signal in and request a connection to cell phones today in everyone's pocket, and home phones becoming a thing of the past.  Technology is constantly changing.  We must change with it.  Adapt.  Grow.  Use it wisely.  Technology creates a new way for us to do things, but in that process we must also change our habits that we have had for years.  All the tools that are on the court reporting market today have a place in our steno bags and we must adapt to learning to use them properly and regularly.  There's a saying that goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  So true.  But in the context of technology, I say, "If you keep doing the same thing, you will get left behind."  I have been reporting nearly 20 years and up until a few years ago, I admit to being lackadaisical about my career.  During that time, I decided to leave a company that I was with for many, many years, asleep at the wheel so to speak.  Something snapped me awake and I left the company for bigger and better things.  I awoke to a world of changes I had never realized while being a robot.  Realtime became a reality because I changed my perspective on it.  Doing realtime used to scare the daylights out of me and now I'm setting it up at every deposition I go to, whether it is purchased or not.  I do it for the practice of getting used to the equipment and troubleshooting my own equipment.  I do it for less editing time when I get home.  If I am on the job and waiting, I can use that time to edit as opposed to reading a book, checking my e-mail or playing a game on my phone (all former guilty pleasures).  Only court reporters know what court reporters go through.  No matter how patient our families are, they still don't understand why you have to bring your laptop on vacation to get that last minute expedite out while on your way.  It's time to change.  It's never too late.  Use technology to help you change and to help streamline your workday.  Get to know your software and use the tools that help make every stroke serve a higher purpose.  Use your automatic index.  You may be accustomed to doing it and have a system for doing it, but if the computer can generate it for you, even if you save 5 minutes, that's 5 more minutes with your family or going for a walk or taking a nap....the list is endless.  Use your automatic number conversion.  Once you don't have to put in commas and dollar signs, that will shave even more time off of your editing time.  There are so many features built into your system, no matter which one you have.  Get to know it.  Use it.  Break those old habits and make your work life more manageable with the tools sitting before you.  You can do this with just small changes in your learning curve and your habits!  You will thank yourself for it later!

To realtime or not to realtime...that is the question

Realtime has been the subject of discussion for a very long time.  This is not a new subject.  Realtime has been avoided by reporters for a lot of different reasons; it's too hard, I don't want to, it's not worth it, it's too scary, I could never do that, I don't want anyone seeing my notes, I'm just fine the way I am, I can't afford the equipment.  Nothing wrong with any of those reasons as long as you are happy with them.  I bet most of you reading this post that do not do realtime dream of the day that you can.  Well, I am here to tell you that day is today.  The only thing holding you back from realtiming is yourself.  Do you look at other reporters and say, "Wow, he/she is such a great reporter."  "I wish I were as good as he/she is."  What makes that next reporter any better than you?  Nothing.  The only difference is they have invested the time to learning all about it.  If you have been reporting for a short time, then your theory is much more realtime than the more "experienced" reporters.  Experienced reporters should have a dictionary that is built up enough and it shouldn't take that much work to get it fine-tuned for realtime.  Learn all your software has to offer by way of shortcuts and settings that make you a more efficient writer.

The first step to realtime is confidence.  You can do it.  Just jump in!

We ARE the gold standard...let's prove it

Stenographic reporting is the best method for making a verbatim record.  If you are reading this, you already know that.  Staying on top of speakers in excess of 225 words per minute and tuning out distracting noises, we are some pretty amazing creatures.  We give multitasking a new definition.  We know this already.  Let's prove it.

Let's prove it to the attorneys who are giving electronic reporting attention that it does not deserve.    Let's prove it to ourselves and strut our stuff.  Let's regain our stellar reputation as the gold standard that we are.  Stand proud to do what you do every day.  It is a beautiful skill and an amazing career.  HRETS TKO TH

So how do we prove it?  For starters, if you are not a realtimer already, start cleaning up your dictionary, conflicts and writing.  Don't let your jobs be the only practice you get.  Practice to timed speeds and sharpen your skill.  That is part of proving it to yourself.  When you do a timed dictation at a high sustained speed and you nail it, you can only be proud.  Prove it to your clients by preparing your transcript and getting them out within five days instead of 10.  In this day and age of instant gratification, 10 days seems like a lifetime.  Work smart, not hard.

By writing clean, you can get your transcripts out much faster and look like the rock star that you are.  By getting your transcripts out faster, you:

- get a happy client that wants to use you more because of your fast turnaround time
   without extra charges
- you have less work on your desk at any given point
- you have less stress because you do not have work hanging over your head

You have everything to gain!  Prove to the world and yourself that you are worth your weight in gold!

Court Reporting Associations. Is it worth joining?

That four-word question is a loaded question.  My answer is yes with a large BUT.  That is, you must get involved and not just join.  Your membership dues go towards funding the efforts of the association and that is definitely a necessary factor.  Nothing is free.  Lobbyists for the association cost money, putting on conventions, producing flyers and newsletters, etc.  BUT if you do not get involved, then you leave it to the people that do get involved in the association business to run the association as they see things and those views may not match your views or those of your fellow reporters.  The squeaky wheel gets the oil.  In order to get things done, we have to squeak very loudly as members.  There is strength in numbers.  Let me explain my view of that statement.  The strength in numbers comes from the members banding together AND squeaking very loudly for the things you want to see changed.  If you just join and leave it to the association and their views don't match yours, well, it is kind of tough to change things once they are in place.  Then it takes louder squeaking, more banding together and a bigger effort.

Another very important point I would like to make is that what is being preached by the association may not be what is actually being fought for in the legislative halls of your state.  In order to know for sure that what your association is relaying to you is the truth, you must do your own research.  Look at your laws, pay attention to newsletters that your association may put out, and verify everything that is being told to you.  Make sure that your association not only keeps you informed of their actions taken on your behalf with your dues money, but hold them to their word.

What is the right court reporting firm to work with?

The direct answer is, only you can decide.  I would like to share with you some of what I know.  Regardless of whether you are seeking to work with a local boutique firm or working with a nationwide company, you must ask a lot of questions.  You must interview them as much as they interview you.  This economy has companies employing strategies that could put you at risk.

Here are some questions to ask (in your own artful way):
Are you an NCRA Ethics First participant?
What are your sales incentives to clients?
Does your firm offer gifts to potential or existing clients?
Does your firm offer digital court reporting?
Do you have contracting terms with your clients?
Will I be asked to use a webcam to video record the depositions I take?
These are questions that I find to be important subjects swirling in our industry.  I would like to share what I know regarding the subjects.

Gift-Giving:  Is this really a problem for me?  Well, it can be.  Click here to read the NCRA's Advisory Opinion from 2011.  You may think, hey, if I'm not a member of NCRA, then I'm not bound to this.  You're right, but keep reading. From where I sit, gift-giving is the biggest problem for the client.  According to the NCRA, the consequence for the client is getting hit with a tax problem if the gifts exceed $100 total for the year.  Do you really want to be the cause of your client having to answer to the IRS?  Click here to print a trifold brochure educating your clients about this problem.  From what I understand, if you are a member of an NCRA-affiliated state association, you are bound by the Advisory Opinion as well.  And let's be frank, it does not take an association to make gift-giving unethical due to its obvious invasion on our duty to be impartial.

Digital Court Reporting:  You may not have a problem with digital court reporting.  That's great.  Then work with any agency that offers it.  No problem, but just keep your eyes and ears open.  The reason this method has taken off is because of the profit margin that agencies make off of these unsuspecting so-called reporters.  So where does that leave you?  Taking menial work just so the agency can hide behind the stenographic veil to make themselves look or continue to look credible.  These agencies will be sure to tell you that they use the digitals to take the jobs that you won't want to take and make it sound like a really nice win-win.  The only way you will find out the truth is to take a chance, but like I said, keep your eyes and ears open.

Contracting:  All I know about contracting is, if the agency is slashing their prices, then they are slashing your paycheck.  Simple as that.  Not to mention that here is what NCRA has to say about it on their site:  "Litigants, other participants in the judicial system, and the general public expect that depositions and court procedings be recorded by a competent, independent and neutrall court reporter who has no stake, financial or otherwise, in the outcome of the action.  Prohibiting parties of interest in litigation from having a direct contractual relationship with court reporters, as officers of the court, is necessary to ensure the public's faith in the integrity and impartiality of the judicial system."

Web Cam:  If you are asked to carry one, then you should really read the NCRA's Advisory Opinion right here.
Make it your business to know the agency's business.  Being inquisitive is a sign that you are ethical and take great pride in your work!

Electronic Recording

My first topic is digital court reporting.  I have lots of feelings about this topic and it is one of the hottest topics in this profession.  I won't call it court reporting though.  I will call it ER for electronic recording.  Let's give it its rightful name.  Audio recording has been around for a long time, but it has taken off now more than ever.  Why?  Marketing.  These companies are run by business people, not court reporters.  Businesses do not understand the importance of what our roles are in the judicial system.  They simply care about their bottom line.  Because that bottom line continually grows on the black side of their ledger, their marketing is getting more and more fierce.  Have you ever bought something and then wondered why you bought it?  That's clever marketing.   Ya got sucked in.  That is what is happening in our profession.  Attorneys and government bodies are getting sucked in by it every day.  What these consumers are missing is the VALUE of it.  It is not worth what they are paying for it.  Government entities allowing this equipment to go into these courthouses are not taking into consideration the fact that they will have to maintain, monitor, and update their hardware in a short amount of time because of the fast-changing technology.  In the end, this will cost everyone more, but that ER firm owner will be laughing all the way to the bank.  Is this a problem in your state?  Is ER hurting your business?  What do you think can be done about it?  What are you willing to do to compete with it?  Let's talk!