Have you ever heard of Stenographer's World?

[Janiece Young]

I just got an email from a friend about "Stenographer's World."  There is a charge to belong to this group.  Have you heard anything about it?  

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I've never heard of it.  What is it offering for the charge; do you know?

I see they want 149.00 a year to join.  If you join today right now, it's only $99.  

[Janiece Young]

Yes, but I don't really think they offer that much I can't access elsewhere.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I agree.  I'm always suspicious of websites that want to charge you to join and then very vague about what you get for the charge.  I guess you get CEUs maybe, but you still have to pay for them. 

 

I bet this website does more to help people get work all over the country than they do.

[Janiece Young]

I agree with you, Kelli.  I can't even measure how much this site has helped me.  I have made great friends here and I have received work through this site.  I learn things every day.  I'll never be able to thank you enough.  It is a wonderful source.  I love it.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

You are so sweet, Janiece.  Thank you.  

I know some days 50 or 60 job offers go out a day all over the country.  I know because I get an email blast of every job offer that goes out.  Some days it's crazy.

[Amanda Leigh]

Don't know about Stenographer's World; however, I see nothing wrong with charging if those paying are getting something for money--it is a write-off.  

It amazes me there is no charge for CSRNation--at least a charge to agencies looking for warm bodies.  This is truly generous of Kelli, way generous.

[Janiece Young]

Yes, I totally agree.

[Dean Morris]

I agree with Amanda.  I definitely think it is the AGENCIES who should be charged fees to use CSRNation, and not just in "certain geographic areas."  You'll notice that MANY of them are branching out all across the country, making MUCH more use of reporter-locator services.  In addition, the "Gang of Five," the "Big Five," the five agencies involved in the Arizona lawsuit, are making MILLIONS by providing low-ball rates to reporters, unconscionable contracting, unprofessional gifting, etc.  These "national" agencies (not JUST limited to the Gang of Five/the Big Five, either), but any "worldwide"/"international" agency is profiting immeasurably by being able to use CSRNation.  It is these national/worldwide/international agencies that need to pay every time they post a job search.

[Amanda Leigh]

Deanna, I couldn't have said it better.  CSRNation has gone a long way to helping some agencies be what they are today (and a godsend to startups).  These agencies you speak of are raking in millions; they can afford it.  This free service to find a warm body -- yet another warm body?  Didn't they just get a warm body there?  Why aren't they calling the same warm body?  Hmmmm -- but I digress.  This free service has allowed many to thrive--and some of those thriving are the low-ballers of the industry, making millions on fees that are not reporter-related (like full page rates for computer-generated word indices--one way to keep the page rate artificially low for consumer and literally low for reporter).  With the low rates, maybe that is why they need yet another warm body--and chances are they'll find 'em with a blast.  Without CSRNation, these agencies would have far less claim on "worldwide" and "nationwide" -- well, no, that's not really true.  Others have seen the value and have developed pay sites.  They'd be using Stenographer's World and the other sites out there that they have to pay for the service--and they'd be paying here if there were a fee.  They can't afford not to, IMO.

[Dean Morris]

Well said, Amanda:  "Why aren't they calling the same warm body?"

Probably because, depending on the market, they can get an uncertified, or inexperienced-to-freelancing, or not-knowledgeable-about-rates-in-their-own-area, or desperate reporter to work for a lower fee, maybe without an appearance fee, as one agency has recently changed "their" pay structure.

However, while the agencies may use Stenographer's World - and, yes, agencies can Definitely "afford it" - I doubt that reporters would.  It is the Agencies who have the money and can definitely afford to post their work.

One after another, day after day, city after city, the same agencies are posting, posting, posting, raking in lots and lots of money, laughing all the way to the bank - and, I submit, at the working reporters.

[Amanda Leigh]

Yeah, I don't see reporters paying; but agencies paying, you betcha--and handsomely.  And I agree 100%: it may be in an effort to find a greenhorn or someone desperate--or not wise to 'em yet.  With Internet communication, even with the threat of Sherman Anti-Trust so many worry about, reporters are wising up on a grand scale--not good for a certain ilk.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

My husband agrees with what you say.  I make very little money off this website.  I also don't want to scare anyone away at this point.  I am planning on charging more to the agencies down the line. 

 

I've only had the website back for about two years now since I had to file a lawsuit and get it back.  I guess I wanted to wait till the momentum grows and everyone realizes its real true value before I up the rate.  Everyone these days has the Facebook mentality that everything should be for free and someone else should pay for it.  That makes it more difficult too. 

 

I'll also have to hire a savvy computer person to design a billing system for this purpose.   The Paypal system I'm using now I don't think will quite work.  That costs money.