Court reporting is a highly demanding job because a professional court reporter has to be on his toes all the time. Other than having the academic knowledge and professional trainings of the court reporting, a court reporter has to act proactively to perform the job as per its vigilantly. Of course, he/she might come across a number of challenges and obstacles; however, preparedness is the only key. So, if you are pursuing court reporting as your career, you must have clear idea about these challenges which you can face down the lane. You can be a successful court reporter, and absolutely love your job if you learn to deal with potential challenges effectively by knowing their nature and dynamics beforehand. This article discusses 4 biggest challenges professional court reporters face on a daily basis.
1. Less and Short Breaks
On a busy day i-e during court proceedings it is but natural for a professional court reporter to not get sufficient break to revitalize his energies. There can be short breaks on the day of court proceeding, where you can have only as much time to get a bite or quick lunch. Other than this, the court reporter has to remain grounded and be as much productive as he can be.
2. Strong Accents and Fast Speakers
While the job of a professional court reporter to prepare transcripts of court proceedings, it is highly likely to come across people who come from a foreign country and have a strong accent. At other times, the reporter is struggling to keep pace with the speaking speed of someone who speaks faster. In both scenarios, the reporter finds it challenging to document what has been said during litigation. Since, there can be no margin of mistake, and you have to produce what exactly has been said, therefore you cannot write anything on your behalf. One approach to deal with this challenge is to ask them to slow down the talking speed so that you can fully understand what they say, and record their statement with the utmost accuracy.
3. More Than One Speaker to Attend to
One of the frequently encountered challenges in a court room is that multiple people start talking at the same time which makes it difficult for the reporter to listen to the statements carefully. One approach which can help in this regard is to take some time to talk to concerned people, before the start of interview. This will help you identify their voice, and you can make a more accurate statement during the court proceedings.
4. A Tight Schedule to be Maintained
There is no denying the fact that professional court reporters have a tight schedule due to which they work at odd hours and balance different tasks. Many times, a court reporter is required to take a deposition at eleventh hour. You might find it difficult to make required preparations in a limited time frame. Therefore, as a professional court reporter, you have to be always prepared to do the job whenever you are called.
Conclusion
Professional Court reporters have an exciting job; however, it comes with its own share of challenges and difficulties. When you pick courting reporting as your career, it is important to be ready and prepared for all these challenges so that you can take appropriate measures. An awareness of challenges would enable you to take your time and take required measures so that you can get things done right the first time, and there are no blunders made while providing professional court reporting services.
For hiring professional court reporters, get in touch with Pro Reporting Services today. We have a decade of experience in providing professional court reporting services. Due to our expertise and professionalism, Pro Reporting Services is known as a reputable and reliable company in court reporting.
