You chose a career as a court reporter for the breadth of opportunities it provides, but now after a few years you’re starting to feel a bit stale and stagnant. This is completely normal. Choose any profession and talk to anyone who has been working in it for a few years and you’ll meet people who are wanting and looking for more.
In fact, we’re excited that you’re a court reporter who wants more from their job and career. You see court reporting as more than a job but as a vocation and something that allows you to make a difference.
One of the benefits of a career in court reporting is that your skillset and knowledge allow you to really take your career wherever you want. From specializing in a specific type of court reporting to acting as a mentor for up-and-coming court reporters to building advanced skills in court reporting technology – there are so many options for you.
In this article, we focus on how you can grow your court reporting career. We draw on career growth practices from a range of industries and professions to highlight how there really are no limits on what you can do with your career.
Get Involved
We want you to get involved and busy. This means signing up for and attending lunch-and-learns, attending seminars and online webinars, contacting the NCRA and learning about association opportunities – in other words – putting yourself out there.
Think back to high school and college and the students who were involved in every extra-curricular activity available – the school newspaper, debate club, intramural sports, etc. Now think of all the people and ideas they were exposed to. This is exactly what we want you to think of when you look for ways to get involved.
Look Outside the Court Room
Think of the last really interesting court room case you worked on. What piqued your interest about this trial and the topic? Are you curious to learn more about this domain? Now is your chance to start doing some research.
Let your fingers do the work and get busy with Google. Start looking for ways to learn more about, for example, environmental law or technology and the law – there really aren’t any limits here. You’ll discover online courses, seminars, and Facebook groups dedicated to the areas you’re most interested in.
Learning, Learning, Learning
Knowledge is power. Guaranteed, the people you know who are passionate about their career and in growing their career have one thing in common – they never stop learning. Think of the court reporters you know who are always busy with extra work, attending conferences, leading seminars, and are really brimming with excitement for their career.
These are the people who are always learning. This learning can come in a range of ways from traditional college courses, online seminars, industry conferences, legal seminars, magazine and journal articles, books, and in-person discussion groups.
Think about where you want your career to go and then decided on a course of learning that will enable you to reach your goals.
Think Of Who You Know
It’s not what you know but who you know…. We want you to take this old saying to heart and think of it each time you walk into the court room. The lawyers, judge, and other professionals in the court room could be just the people you need to help you grow your career.
You never know who you will meet and what this person can do for you. When you’re developing your career growth strategy, think of the people you’ve met who have made a big impression on you and the people with whom you’ve made a good impression. These are the people who can help you as you act on your career development path.
Don’t be shy, reach out and network with these people. Tell them what you want to do, what interests you, what you want to learn and ask for help. You’ll discover that most people are keen to help those who are motivated to advance themselves both professionally and personally.
Are you excited yet? A court reporting career really has no limits. From branching out to educating future court reporters to writing journal articles about court reporting to becoming an expert in court reporting ethics – there is so much to be explored.