Reporter Rescuer says:
In this economy, we need to know our strengths and strengthen our weaknesses. If you're not doing realtime for yourself, now is a good time to better your skills in order to be more competitive.
YOU ARE REPLACEABLE!
329 Forest Brook Boulevard
Mandeville, LA 70448
(985) 264-4330
THE COURT REPORTER
IT'S UP TO YOU ANY DAY
YOU WERE TERMINATED!
We have asked you to do
realtime and you have declined. Therefore, we hired a court reporter that will!!!
How do you feel right now about yourself as a steno reporter? Do you feel like you are working as efficiently as you can? Perhaps now is a good time to review the most important three necessities -- your writer, your computer, and your CAT software -- to find out what you can do to improve your worklife.
x
THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR TO MAKE YOURSELF A STENO SUPERSTAR!
CAT
SOFTWARE
WRITER
COMPUTER
As a sales rep and trainer, I often am amazed at how long reporters will continue to work in the most unpleasant conditions, whether it be a writer that has not been maintained properly; or an extremely old computer that won't even connect to the internet (some that have had rubber bands holding the floppy drive in); or even software that is so ancient that there are more untranslated steno than translated steno because it's just too tedius to update the dictionary. Some reporters will just plug along and wonder why it takes them so long to get a simple job out.
Well, I used to think it was because of cost. Just too expensive to keep up. But the more I travel and the more I get to know folks in this profession, I realize it's not the money. I really think it's the fear of change that is so frightening.
You know the old saying:
REALLY?
Well, if you're going broke getting out your work because your old equipment "ain't broke," maybe that's worth fixin'!!!
WRITER: Every day you walk into a job, the first thing you greet is your writer. Check out my WRITERS page so we can talk about all the things you need to know about maintaining, upgrading the one you have, or trading in your old writer for one that records the keys you are actually pressing instead of throwing in some letter confetti now and again.
COMPUTER: Well, unless you are using a typewiter, most of us must have a computer to put out transcripts. Computer are cheap. I recommend buying a new computer every two years, at least. Plus it's a great tax write-off, as are writers and sotware and other necessary equipment. What better way to keep your brain young and challenged than a new computer to figure out. Check out Tech to get help on computers and how not to be afraid.
SOFTWARE: I cannot stress enough how important it is to have up-to-date technically sound software that YOU KNOW HOW TO USE. Knowing how to use your software will take hours off your production time and that means more time for you and for whatever fun stuff you like to do. Did you know you can get NCRA and state continuing education credits for learning your software? Check out my software link to help you get on the right track
