When it comes to being a court reporter, the rewarding nature of your work can mean that you never really get tired of it. However, could you be benefiting more if you were at the status of a certified court reporter? Being certified may not seem like that big of a deal now, but you may be able to reap tons of court reporter benefits when you are certified than when you are not.
We’ve put together all the benefits of pursuing court reporter certification for you so you can find out what you may be missing out on. Read on to find out more and potentially take your career to the next level.
Some court reporters in the state of New Hampshire were concerned recently when they found out that the state legislature was intending on getting rid of some of the certification boards, which included the board that certified court reporting. As a result of their lobbying, the legislation was delayed for a year, giving you some idea of the vitality of this type of certification to the field. So what benefits do you stand to gain getting certified in this field?
Currently it is a requirement of many states that court reporters have certification in order to work while in others the choice to get certified in order to work is optional. So in a lot of areas, you actually must be certified upon which being hired you can begin earning money. If it’s not an option, pursuing certification is a huge benefit because it allows you to be employed.
Court reporters are a huge part of the litigation and court process, and going forward without that occupation would upend the entire system. According to the National Court Reporters Association, you must have a certain skill set to fulfill responsibilities, which certification can determine. Even in states where certification is optional, getting certified proves that you have what it takes to do your job well.
The NCRA is the one that sets the national certification standards and does the certification (either they do or the state does, depending). Their National Conference of State Associations looks to establish the requirements regarding licensing and certification and applying nationally recognized certification programs, which they have been doing since 1937. The Registered Professional Reporter certification can be taken and it will be recognized in 22 states as the equivalent of certification.
At the end of the day, getting certified will help you land new jobs as companies would prefer a certified candidate over one who is not. Certification or RPR allows you to be more valuable in your field, meaning that you will be more in demand than others because they know you can do your job and act fairly and ethically while in litigation.
Pursuing and achieving certification is a great way to impress potential employers and the courts with your work and build a reputation for yourself. Stand out from the rest and show that you know your field inside and out and continue furthering your career by getting certified officially if at all possible!