New professionals working as broadcast captioners, CART captioners, official court reporters, or freelancers can find the answers to a number of questions they may have about their professional roles as they launch their careers.
NCRA’s Next Generation and Legacy Committee recently compiled a series of FAQs for each of these segments of the profession that is now available under The Profession tab on NCRA.org.
The Next Generation and Legacy Committee brings together veteran and emerging court reporters and captioners to foster mentorship, collaboration, and the exchange of expertise. By connecting experience with fresh perspectives, the Committee works to honor the traditions of the profession while encouraging innovation that supports its future growth. The FAQs were developed as part of the Committee’s charges.
“As a new professional, similar to being a student, it can feel like you’re falling forward and trying to keep your head above water. This FAQ resource, along with the FAQ crew we’re working to put together, is a resource from our Committee to help new professionals stay afloat as they navigate the early stages of their career,” said Committee Cochair Chris DeGrazio, a freelance court reporter from Fort Pierce, Fla.
“Whether you’re fresh out of school and recently certified, or you’ve been in one field, such as captioning, and you’ve made the switch to freelance or official, we want to provide you with information and assistance to support you on your journey,” he added.
The FAQs cover a range of issues for each segment of the profession. For broadcast captioners and CART captioners, issues addressed include knowing the first thing to consider when choosing this career path, equipment purchases, preparing for a job, what a typical workload is like, and more.
New-to-the-profession freelancers will find more information about how to find jobs, transcription turnaround times, setting up a home office for remote work, the pros and cons of using a proofreader or scopist, and more.
“Transitioning from court reporting student to working professional is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. New professionals often have questions that go beyond the skills they learned in school, and having reliable information in one accessible place can make that transition so much smoother,” said Jennifer Billstein-Miller RMR, CRR, a freelance court reporter from Manua, N.J., who also serves as a cochair of the Next Generation and Legacy Committee. “These FAQs let them know that they are supported, that their questions are valid, and that the court reporting community is here to help them build successful, lasting careers,” she added.
Topics addressed for official court reporters include the benefits of working for the courts and the type of courts, learning more about courtroom procedures, credentials, equipment, and more.
“I believe one of the most valuable things we can give students is a glimpse of what’s waiting for them on the other side of graduation, allowing us to share not only information, but our experiences, encouragement, and excitement about this profession as well,” said Alecia Madison, a freelance court reporter from Atlanta, Ga., who also cochairs the committee. “Sometimes, hearing from someone who has already walked the path can make a student realize that I can do this, too!”
View the New Professional FAQs.
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