Being a certified court reporter means that it’s your job to take down the proceedings of a courtroom. You must do so accurately, fairly, and objectively. A court reporter is someone that is relied upon to be creating the record of what went on. The part you play is essential. That’s why it’s so important for court reporters to do their job the best that they can without error.
How to do this? Check out these tips. It’s not easy being a court reporter, but someone’s got to do it. The process can cause fatigue and even lethargy, and it’s important to stay awake, be alert, and make sure that you avoid any errors. This list of tips can help you to stay awake and to do your job well.
Eat breakfast. Nothing crashes your brain faster than skipping breakfast. Give yourself natural energy and focus by eating breakfast in the morning. It’s the most important meal of the day for court reporters.
Get a good night’s sleep. You’re never going to be an error-free stenographer if you’re running on a few hours’ sleep. Plan your nights so that you’re in bed by a certain time and getting a good night’s rest. Put on the white noise machine, draw your blinds or curtains, and make sure your room is pitch dark so you get a good eight hours.
Take breaks. If you get a chance to take a break and let your mind wander, do it. Your job requires you to focus for long amounts of time and you won’t be getting scheduled breaks, so enjoy breaks when they happen.
Go outside on your lunch break. Eat a sandwich in the sunshine. You’ll feel relaxed but also refreshed after your afternoon meal, and be ready to go back to work.
Request participants to speak clearly, loudly, slowly, and articulately if they can. Since certified court reporters need to hear everyone’s statements in order to accurately record the proceedings, it’s important that everyone knows to speak clearly enough so as to not slow down the court function.
Ask people to speak up or repeat what they say if you have not heard. Always interrupt or interject and ask for what was said to be repeated. You need to get it right. It’s not rude; it’s doing your job. Inaudible speech or multiple people talking can be confusing.
As a certified court reporter, speak up when you have not heard someone or need something clarified! On top of that, take care of yourself and make sure that you have the proper energy to record everything accurately. Your job is very important, so utilize these tips and make sure that you’re always court reporting to the best of your ability.