I get at least one call a day from people interested in going to court reporting school and inquiring about the prospects for work for court reporters in the future and what are the qualifications I look for in hiring new reporters.
The person I spoke to today said she was told she would be working in approximately 1-1/2 years as a court reporter. I know almost nobody who finished school in a year and a half and was working and making a good living after 1-1/2 years of school.
Buyer beware. Schools are in the business of selling services. The services here are court reporting classes. Prospective students must be realistic about what it takes to finish a court reporting program and that’s lots of hard work. Lots of discipline. Lot’s of time. Lots of money. Be realistic acout your skills when you are in school. There will be lots of competition when you graduate for the few beginning level jobs available. Many seasoned and talented reporters are having difficulty getting work, at least in my part of the country.
I love court reporting with a passion and have always encouraged people into our wonderful profession of court reporting. For so many years, court reporters were a dying profession. Today many people are looking our way for a new career, which is great. However, I am unable to help people almost on a daily basis who are very talented and are graduating at this time and need jobs desperately and that concerns me greatly.
My advice, if you are talented, disciplined and realistic about your revenue as a beginner, go for it. The rewards are great but it is not exactly the garden of Eden painted by the schools.