One of the fastest growing careers today is that of a court reporter. With so many possible job opportunities, court reporter salaries can be very lucrative.

A court reporter is an expert at taking spoken words and transcribing them accurately into written text. In the courtroom, they are vital for lawyers and jurors to see what was actually said. For a convicted person wanting an appeal, they can literally be the difference between life and death. They must make sure that even though they record with great speed, they must also accurately record all that takes place.

When recording, the recorder can either use the technique of steno typing or voice writing. A special machine whose keys are symbols for words and sounds is the concept behind steno typing. It is basically a specialized writer that a recorder has been trained to use. With voice writing, the recorder simply repeats everything said into what is called a steno mask. This has a special sound proof feature that keeps others from hearing what she is saying. With either technique, the recorder will later transcribe the information into written text, if the equipment is not already equipped to do the transcribing in real time.

Training is required to become a court reporter. In fact, there are several different certifications possible. The more certifications a person has, the more job opportunities will be available. This will also result in higher pay. Most certification takes at least two years. There is some certification that can be completed in about six months, but it is not as specialized, and will not pay as much money. Once certified, it is usually necessary to take some continuing education courses periodically to keep the certification up-to-date.

Although we commonly think of court reporters working only in a courtroom setting, this is not always the case. Some work for a fixed salary while others prefer to work on a freelance basis. Freelancers do things like take statements for lawyers, take minutes of meeting, and record important functions at various conventions. A very rapidly growing job for court reporters is doing closed captioning for television. While some prefer to work for the government on a salary with benefits, others prefer freelancing. Some choose to do a little of both.

A starting court reporter usually makes forty to fifty thousand dollars a year. Some experienced reporters can make from seventy-five to ninety thousand dollars with some even making six figured salaries. A lot will depend on your location, and who you are working for. Although this is a good paying job, it takes some particular skills. You must be very accurate and have speed with your recording. Precise listening skills are very important. You must have excellent computer skills and must be able to meet deadlines. If you do this work as a freelancer, you must be willing to work flexible hours.

Although a difficult job, court reporting is a very important occupation. With more and more reporters needed each year, court reporter salaries will continue to grow with the demand.

There is a lot to know about finding the right court reporter school. Learn more about the selection process from: http://www.courtreportersalarydata.com

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