With quite a number of cases lodge in different courts daily, there will always be a need for court reporting services. Because this job requires specific skills, there is often a shortage of talents that match the job requirements. In Naples, Florida, though there are numerous court reporting agencies, these agencies find a hard time hiring qualified individuals. If you believe you have what it takes to be a court reporter, search for court reporter Naples Florida and find agencies who can take you in.
However, if you only have limited knowledge of what this job entails, read on as we discuss the job description of a court reporter, along with the other essential details of the profession. It’s good practice to learn and study as much as you can before finally jumping onboard a specific position. Through this, you can set proper expectations for yourself. You can also take note of the best practices to help you transition into the court reporting industry smoothly.
What Is A Court Reporter?
When you say court reporter, it refers to the skilled individual who serves as a record guardian because they capture and transcribe the spoken words of everyone during a deposition or court hearing. They also record and write these reports in toto with the help of a stenographic machine. The complexity and demands of the job are some of the reasons why it’s hard to get the job.
Freelance Court Reporter
As you search for the term court reporter Naples Florida’ on the internet, you may have come across the words freelance court reporter and official court reporter. Though they are both court reporters, they differ in such factors as the nature of their employment, frequency of commission, and income opportunities.
When you say freelance court reporter, it means that the individual is not bound by an employer-employee relationship with the court that commissioned their service. They are, by nature, independent contractors that are usually affiliated with a court reporting agency. As such, they render work to different courts that requested their services through their agencies.
Some court reporters who have been on the job for years often work independently and search for their own clients. Because of the network they built in the course of their court reporting career; it’s easy for them to get a steady flow of clients. However, if you’re a beginner and you’re still struggling to find your way in the court reporting world, you can always try your luck and seek out the help of different agencies hiring a court reporter Naples Florida.
The good thing with agency-affiliated reporters is that they don’t have to labor hard to find work. The agency will do that for them. When they’re free for a job, they could accept. On the other hand, just like those working independently, they can politely decline if they don’t want to accept a specific commission. You see, that’s the beauty of freelancing — you decide who you want to work with.
Since the freelance court reporter Naples Florida is not committed to a single court, they could be working for different courts in the course of their career. They’re not confined to local courts as they are often presented with various travel opportunities to another city, town, state, or even country.
The only downside of being a freelancer is you might have to work on short notice, and despite the long years that you have been working, you couldn’t enjoy insurance benefits and other perks of regular employment.
Official Court Reporter
As opposed to a freelance reporter, an official court reporter Naples Florida is usually regularly employed by the government. Being a salaried worker, they enjoy the usual and mandatory employment benefits accorded to a regular employee. They are called judicial reporters because the court is the one that conferred their appointment. They are also assigned to a specific court, so they have a regular and fixed venue to conduct their employment.
The job of an official court reporter Naples Florida is competitive and requires years of extensive and relevant experience in the court reporting field. Meaning, before you apply and qualify for this job, you need to possess various certificates as a Realtime Reporter, Shorthand Reporter, and Professional Reporter.
Since this government position comes with a higher pay scale, job stability, and more lucrative employment benefits, you should also expect fast-paced, high-pressure work. With that said, this job is not for everyone. Vy for this position if you could sacrifice work flexibility and stick to a given work schedule. Then again, if you’re someone who is a tenured stenographer and you’re looking for career advancement opportunities and stability, being a judicial court reporter Naples Florida presents a lucrative freelancing alternative.
Which Should You Choose?
The decision is entirely up to you. If you’re someone who values flexibility and freedom in determining your ideal work conditions, be a freelance court reporter. This job can be rewarding and less straining because you’re not bound by an employment contract with the court commissioning your services. Plus, if you need to attend to personal matters or simply want to go on a vacation, you can just pack up and leave things behind. When you’re ready to take work again, you can just come back and restart.
Indeed, you can’t be that flexible when you commit yourself to full-time employment, most especially if your employer is the court. With the plethora of cases lodged and tried each day, it’s hard to take a leave when you don’t feel like working. However, if what you’re looking for is a better pay scale and more chances of advancing your career in the judicial field, opt to be an official court reporter.
No matter what route you’re planning to take, just do your best, learn as much as you can, and thrive where you choose to be planted. At the end of the day, your success as a court reporter Naples Florida lies solely in your hands.