Hiring new scopists from online ads, need help screening

[Terence D. Skelton]

Hi, all.  My scopist of 15 years passed away last year.  We worked great together.  She didn't read notes, so my dictionary has not been worked on for this long, but I could depend on her to get work back to me quickly, and if an attorney called to expedite a job, she dropped everything and put me next.  She did work for other reporters, but she knew I depended on her as I took care of my mother and my son was a swimmer, so I had no time for editing my own work. 

Fast forward to last February, when she passed away, I bought a  new computer, new printer, and finally updated to the current Procat.  I had always had support, but didn't upgrade so she and I could remain compatible.  I started trying out scopists advertised on different court reporter forums, and have had some good and bad experiences, but have not found someone who I can feel comfortable giving work to and know I will get it back when I need it. 

My mom passed away a few months after my scopist, so I have been able to take on more work.  My son is away at college, so I have luckily had time to do a lot of my own scoping when I couldn't find a scopist.  But I have feast and famine times, and need help during the feast, and I really need a true scopist, someone who will help me with my dictionary.

I admit, I was a little shellshocked at the going rates for scopists these days.  Many of the scopists I've used this past year have charged at least twice what my old scopist did, and none of them have yet to help me with my dictionary. But, even if a job is poorly done, I always pay the scopist what she invoices me, but I won't use them again if I wasn't satisfied with their work.  I'm willing, though, to give people a chance, and don't write people off based on one sloppy job, and I have even gone back to work with people I'd rather not use because their rates were too high, because I know they want the work and can meet my deadlines.

Sorry for such a long post.  I've asked to join the closed groups that help reporters find good scopists, but I haven't been approved yet.  I'm getting ready to try a new girl who charges the highest yet, and I'm willing to give her a try, but I would really like to get input from others before I start another year of getting burned.

I am on Procat, Version 11.2, and there are not many local Procat scopists that I could get personal references on, or that I haven't used already and not worked out, so I am hoping to get some help from experienced reporters out there.

Thank you so much for your help.

[Joyce Davis]

Terence,

I'm sorry to hear you have had two losses in your life in the past year.  You've had to make big adjustments.

Do yourself a big favor:  Before you try a scopist out, check his/her references.  Good scopists will cheerfully provide them.

Good luck to you.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Terence, there is a group here called ProCat Scopist (Send Work Request).  You can join that group and then send out an email blast to the group about needing a scopist.  There are only 20 members of this group, but it's a start.

http://csrnation.ning.com/group/procatscopistsendworkrequest?

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Here is also another post called "Scopists and Proofreaders recommended by reporters."

http://csrnation.ning.com/forum/topics/scopists-proofers-recommended

[Janiece Young]

Hi, Terrence,

So sorry to hear of your losses.  Those are huge and close together.

I do use scopists on a regular basis.  I am on CC so I cannot help you with names of scopists.  

Regarding your dictionary, I take care of the dictionary updating myself.  I do it myself because I am the one who knows how I tend to write things.  It is a pretty simple process.

Good luck to you.

Janiece

[Terence D. Skelton]

Thanks, Janiece.  My former scopist just typed over untrans, rather than globaled words, so I would want someone who would do job globals, which they would transfer with the job, and I, in turn, will decide what goes in and out.  With my former scopist, I would get back the transcript totally typed, so I had no idea what tranned or not, what had conflicts, etc.

Thank you all for your condolences.  It was a very rough year.  My scopist was like an aunt to me, and her grandchildren played with my son, so it was very much like losing a member of the family.

When using a new scopist, I am trying to give them short jobs, not difficult, and not for clients who are demanding, ie, not a day over Day 10.  Unfortunately, I don't get many like that, and during the feast times, I'm really getting backed up, so hoping for some help in screening scopists.  Thanks for any help  you can give me.

[Bill Parsons]

There is a list of scopists in the Journal of Court Reporting each month in the JCR classified ad section called "Services" if that might be of any help to you.

Bill