Court Reporter Types: Freelancing Is A Possibility

If you are one of the thousands of people who are looking for a new job during this recession, you may want to consider becoming a court reporter. Not only do their careers have great potential for advancement, pay raises, and flexibility, there is also the short time it takes to become a court reporter, along with the different types of court reporters. The possibilities are endless, if you have the drive and desire to get into this great profession.

There are two types of court reporters, an official court reporter and a freelancing court reporter. The official reporter usually works in a state or federal court room and may even stay within the same courthouse for their entire career, if they have the correct recommendations and requests for their services. These court reporters are classified as state or government employees which entitles them to health benefits and a pension or retirement plan that can sustain them throughout their retirement years.

Court reporters enjoy a nice salary that can range anywhere from 40,000 dollars to 60,000 dollars in the middle of their career. There is no limit to the possible pay raises that a court reporter can get, if they continue their education and have different certifications to offer different courts. As with any professional career, the more education one has and the more credentials one can claim, the more money they will earn. Usually, these court reporters begin working at 8 or 9 in the morning and leave at 4 or 5 in the afternoon; however, if they are on a trial that may last a bit longer, they will be expected to stay. They stay as long as the trial lasts for that day.

The other type of court reporter is a freelance court reporter, who is not employed directly by the court system, but can negotiate with various courts or other businesses for their services. This type of court reporter is typically thought of as an independent contractor with the courts or businesses and is self-employed. They pay their own taxes, save for their own retirement, and buy their own health and life insurances with their own money. They can travel as far as they specific job needs to take them, be it throughout the state, or throughout the country, if they are in that much demand.

Court reporters can be contracted with various groups beside a court room, like working with deaf people and providing a translation for them in a school setting, or work for a large corporation, making certain all of the board meetings and other important meetings are recorded for future use. In their first year or work, freelancers can make up to 50,000 dollars, if they work hard enough. The pay scale for freelancers is solely at the discretion of the freelancer because they create their own contracts.

Regardless of what type of court reporter one chooses to be, they must have a typing speed of 225 words per minute on the stenograph. This is not the typical computer, with only 22 keys for typing the short hand techniques for words. It takes practice and time, but it can be done and that can lead to a lucrative career for you as a court reporter.