| I worked as a freelance and official court reporter for | | | | all-day very grueling deposition. Of course, it took me |
| eight years. I think I performed every aspect possible in | | | | another full day to churn it out, and I didn't sleep, but it is |
| the profession except for closed captioning. I was a | | | | possible to do. |
| Communications Access Realtime Translator (CART) | | | | - Official reporters. Often official reporters are paid a |
| reporter for the hearing impaired, a real-time freelance | | | | decent base salary, plus benefits. And they are paid |
| reporter recording depositions and court proceedings, | | | | per page transcribed on top of that. Not every word |
| and an Official Reporter of Debate for the U.S. House | | | | you take down in court is transcribed, though. The |
| of Representatives. I also owned a small agency, | | | | records of some proceedings are just kept in storage. |
| coached students through school, bid on a contract for | | | | An acquaintance of mine was an official reporter. On |
| the United Nations in The Hague, wrote a booklet on | | | | days he knew he wouldn't have to transcribe |
| how to get through reporting school, co-created a | | | | proceedings in his court, he would hire another reporter |
| software program to teach reporters with older | | | | to take his court for the day. He would then ask his |
| theories how to write realtime, and invented an | | | | fellow court reporters in the other court rooms who he |
| ergonomic cushion for deposition reporters. | | | | knew would be recording pages that needed |
| I offer this not to toot my own horn but rather to | | | | transcribing if they wanted a day off. Many of them |
| demonstrate that I've participated in many aspects of | | | | jumped at the chance, even just for the opportunity to |
| the business and I believe I have a fairly good idea as | | | | catch up. He earned over $250,000 per year. To my |
| to what one can make coming out of court reporting | | | | knowledge, that is the high end of what is possible. |
| school. According to April 2009 data from Salary | | | | - Computer-aided realtime translation. The pay |
| Wizard®, the median salary for court reporters in | | | | structure is based on hours worked because usually |
| the United States is $49,421. The following is a list of | | | | no final transcript is required. It is generally not as |
| factors that can greatly affect your chances of | | | | lucrative as court reporting. But you are doing |
| earning more than the median salary: | | | | something to help the hearing-impaired community and |
| | | | that can be very rewarding. And it's nice to have your |
| - Where you live. Each state has different licensing | | | | evenings transcript-free. |
| requirements. It can vary from simply becoming a | | | | - Start an agency. If you are good with people and |
| notary public to having to pass a difficult hands-on and | | | | love to schmooze, this is probably a better choice for |
| written exam depending on your locale. The pay | | | | you than sitting mute behind a steno machine day after |
| structure for freelance reporters and official reporters | | | | day. You find the attorney clients and hire court |
| (stenographers that work in court) can vary greatly, | | | | reporters on an independent contractor basis. You will |
| too, state to state usually dependent upon cost of | | | | need administrative staff to prepare and mail the |
| living. | | | | paper transcripts, handle billing, and answer phones, etc. |
| - Realtime capability. All of today's graduates are | | | | Financially speaking, there is almost no limit to what you |
| technically "realtime ready," due to improved | | | | can earn as an agency owner. |
| computer-compatible steno theories and equipment. | | | | As you can see, this profession gives you quite a |
| But having a good theory and writing cleanly enough | | | | good opportunity to make whatever you want to |
| so you're confident for the world to see are two | | | | make given the time and effort you wish to expend. |
| different animals. It takes real-world experience to | | | | And there are many options to suit many types of |
| become confident enough to hook your computer to | | | | lifestyles and personalities. When choosing which path |
| attorneys' computers in a fast-paced doctor's | | | | to take after school, remember the words of |
| deposition, for example. But once you feel confident, | | | | Confucius: "Choose a job that you love, and you will |
| by all means hook up! Your income can soar. Working | | | | never have to work a day in your life. |
| in Washington, D.C., I once made $3,100 from one | | | | |