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Kyung's Blog – March 2008 Archive (10)

Your first job - Oh my God!! What do I do?

You've passed your test. You've paid your dues. You're now a card-carrying CSR. Yeah. You get a flimsy paper card/license. I bet nobody told you that. You've done your interviewing. Now what?

Well, once the agency calls you with a job and you accept, the preparation begins. Make sure you've got extra paper(if your writer is not paperless), your writer, your computer, cables, power strip, Depobook (or some other form of keeping track of your depositions). I pack everything in the car… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 28, 2008 at 8:47 — 12 Comments

More things I wish I knew

When you are a court reporter, you are so many more things than a court reporter.

You are a bill collector. Most of the time the checks will come in on time and they will be correct. Sometimes they won't. Please, for the love of God, look at your check and compare it to what you think you should be getting. Everybody makes mistakes. Lots of math errors and misunderstandings regarding rates. I think you said business lit is this rate and now you're saying it's this rate. Better to ask… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 24, 2008 at 20:00 — No Comments

My favorite parts of my job

I like it when everything is scoped and I only have proofing to do, and there is not a whole backlog of pages waiting to be done. I feel like I can breathe.

I like sitting at cafes drinking coffee and scoping and occasionally hitting the Internet. This can be wonderful on a beautiful, to be able to go out and proof outside.

I like sending in a completed job and cleaning off my desk.

Added by Kyung on March 22, 2008 at 5:47 — 11 Comments

Page rates - what to ask - things to consider when you're first starting out

Ah-ha!! I know everyone is thinking, finally, she's going to talk about something good. But in the interest of not giving anybody a heart attack in the court reporting community, I will refrain from posting my rates. If you're truly interested in the rates that I get paid, feel free to send me a message and I will tell you what my going rates are. These would be my personal rates that the various agencies pay me, and they vary. Honestly, no agency pays the same.

But what does this…

Continue

Added by Kyung on March 20, 2008 at 6:00 — 3 Comments

Dialing for Dollars - things I wish I knew my first year

There will always be slow times and times when you're completely slammed and drowning. When you're slammed and drowning, all you can do is put your head down and work like a dog until you're through the backlog. I do suggest you do not accept any jobs until you're through your backlog. If you do, you're just burying yourself further.

But this is about those times you are slow.

In California, you are a freelancer, an independent contractor. No matter how much an agency may… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 17, 2008 at 20:30 — No Comments

More things I wish I knew when I started

Attorneys lie!!!!

When they say, oh, I've only got an hour, can we work through lunch? He's lying!!!!! They will go on for hours while you're passing out from hunger. If he is saying this at 12. Smile and say no problem, but let's take a five-minute restroom break or something and grab the energy bar out of your bag or run to the nearest vending machine to get a little something to eat.

Attorneys do not like for you to ask them how long the deposition will be. If you must… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 17, 2008 at 16:30 — 2 Comments

Why I hate it when my people ask me did I work today?

Of course, I worked today. I work every friggin' single day. Just bec. I happen to be home in my bunny rabbit slippers does not mean I am not working like a dog. I am scoping, proofing, shredding old notes, following up on bills, archiving old transcripts, calling around for my next job, calling the agency for more information on the job I'm working on, and a bajillion other things.

Of course, what they mean is did you leave the house today? Did you go on a deposition outside of your… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 10, 2008 at 15:41 — 8 Comments

The taxman cometh - sitting here waiting for the tax person

Well, the tax gal is running a little behind schedule so we're waiting. And I thought I'd share more things I wish I knew my first year out.

TAXES - Here in California you are an independant contractor, a freelancer, not an employee. The term "staff reporter" means nothing in terms of your taxes. If you work for an agency, then you are going to get a 1099. Not a W-2. The only way you will ever be an employee as a reporter is if you're working for the Superior Court, Federal Court, or… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 9, 2008 at 11:58 — No Comments

What I wish I knew my first year out as a court reporter.

I know a lot of court reporting students are out there who go to school and can't wait to start reporting in the "real world." And you guys have lots of questions about what it's like reporting out there. You wonder about is there going to be work for me? Am I going to make enough money to pay off my debts and live the "glamorous" lifestyle?

Well, this is a great place to ask those questions. And if you have any particular topic that you want discussed, bring it up. But I thought I'd… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 8, 2008 at 12:00 — 14 Comments

Basics that I would like from an agency

These are the basics that I would love from an agency

Pay me on time

Pay me correctly - if you say this is the page rate, please pay me the page rate discussed plus any and all additional items discussed.

If there is an error in billing on your part - when I bring it to your attention, please correct it as soon as possible.

Note - I do not care about the type of work or the amount of pages - these are things that are beyond the agency's control.

In… Continue

Added by Kyung on March 6, 2008 at 6:27 — 5 Comments