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Ultimate Guide to Finding Scoping Jobs

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Are you looking for scoping jobs?

Scoping is a great way to get your foot in the door of the court reporting industry.

You can even find remote positions that allow you to work with clients all over the country!

Whether you are just starting out or have years of experience, there are many ways to find scoping jobs that fit your skills and interests.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, keep reading!

We’ll go over some tips on how to land a job as well as resources that will help guide you through the process.

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Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What does it mean to be a Scopist?

Before we jump into how to find scoping jobs, let’s briefly go over what it means to be a scopist.

Scopists are hired by court reporters to clean up the transcripts.

They are responsible for collecting the steno notes, organizing them in a way that makes sense, and marking up any corrections so they can be easily identified by the court reporter during proofreading.

Scopists must have a keen eye to recognize when a word is misspelled or in the wrong tense, when two speakers are speaking at once, when punctuation isn’t used correctly, and much more!

They also play an important role in the court reporting process and it’s up to them to make sure that everything makes sense in the final transcript.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, but you don’t think you have the skillset or experience that scopists require.

There are still ways to find scoping jobs that fit your personal needs!

Requirements to land scoping jobs

While there will be various requirements depending on where you are looking for jobs, here are the most common ones:

  • Great grammar and spelling skills
  • Ability to type at least 100 wpm on a steno machine or keyboard
  • Previous court reporting or legal transcription experience can be helpful
  • Computer with a large screen
  • Court reporting programs such as Case CATalyst and Eclipse to help you with transcription.

Scopists generally work from home or outside of the court reporting office.

You might be able to do a combination of both if your court reporting office is flexible with their hours!

Equipment you need to become a scopist

Now that we’ve gone over the requirements needed for scopists, let’s look at some of the equipment you need to become a scopist.

High-speed internet connection

Having a high-speed internet connection is key.

Your download and upload speeds shouldn’t drop too often, as this can slow down your transcription process.

A great headset with a noise-canceling headphones

Having a high-quality headset that cancels out background noise is extremely important for scopists.

Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

You want to be able to hear the speakers clearly in order to properly transcribe them.

Good quality headphones with excellent noise cancellation will make all the difference!

Having a large screen is ideal

Some scopists use their laptops when scoping, but having a monitor that is large enough to fit all the notes might be a better option for you.

HP Computer Monitor with 23.8-Inch IPS Display 

It’s important to have a screen that is large enough, so you aren’t squinting to see the words.

This will also help with your accuracy and make your work faster.

A foot pedal for optimal transcription speeds

Most scopists use a three-button or four-button foot pedal for maximum accuracy.

It’s important to have the right equipment for this job so you can work as quickly and accurately as possible.

USB Foot Pedal Control with Computer Plug In

Once you have all the equipment you need to become a scopist, it’s time to start searching for scoping jobs!

How much can you earn as a scopist?

The amount of money you can earn as a scopist will depend on your experience, skillset, the company you are working with, and where you are located.

Your salary is usually determined by your speed in court reporting programs, how accurate your transcriptions are, and whether you have previous experience in the industry.

However, according to Glassdoor, the average scopist earns $52,522 a year.

So, there is potential to make quite a decent income as long as you have the skills and experience they are looking for!

10 Best Sites to find Scoping Jobs

Now that you understand what scoping is and the qualifications needed, it’s time to learn how to find scoping jobs in your area!

Finding a job is relatively easy and there are many websites out there that can help you.

However, not all of these options provide great resources and detailed information about the companies and judges they work with.

In this section, we’ll go over 10 of our favorite sites to find scoping work!

Indeed

According to their website, Indeed has over 200 million unique visitors every month.

Therefore, it’s definitely one of the best places you can go to find scoping jobs!

Their search bar is located in the top right corner and you can enter keywords like “scopist” or “remote court reporting jobs.”

You get to choose how many miles away you want the job postings to be and for what time frame.

Once you find a scoping position that fits your needs, make sure to read their qualifications very carefully!

Oftentimes they will list exactly what experience they are looking for in court reporting programs.

Click here to search Indeed for jobs as a scopist.

Careerbuilder

Another great site to find and apply for scoping jobs is Careerbuilder.

They claim that their mobile app saves time and makes job hunting easier than ever before.

Since this application allows you to search from your phone, it can be a convenient way to check out companies in your area.

Their search options are similar to Indeed and you can filter by location, time of posting, and of course keywords.

Click here to search Careerbuilder for scoping work.

Monster

Monster is a well-known job site that provides employment opportunities from both small businesses and large corporations throughout the United States!

Their website is easy to navigate and you can search for available jobs by using their job search bar.

Make sure to read through each posting carefully because there are some cases where companies want experienced professionals with court reporting programs.

Click here to search Monster for scoping jobs.

Fiverr

Fiverr is a great site that provides affordable services, including court reporting and scoping.

Many people use this platform to find remote work-from-home jobs, especially if they have no experience in the industry or previously worked as a professional reporter.

Some of the services offered on this site include transcripts, translations, and captioning videos.

Click here to search Fiverr for scoping jobs.

National Court Reporters Association

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) is one of the largest associations in the United States.

Their website is a great resource for court reporters and other professionals looking to join the industry.

Because they are a national organization, they have many members across the country and can connect you with companies that are looking for scopists in your area.

Finally, you can search their job board and apply for the positions that fit your interests and qualifications.

Click here to search NCRA’s job board for work.

ProfessionalScopists.com

ProfessionalScopists.com is a very helpful website that provides resources and jobs for scopists.

This site is geared towards professionals, so you will find a lot of job postings from reputable companies.

In addition to finding scoping jobs, the website also has resources that can help you feel more prepared when starting a new position.

Click here to search for jobs on ProfessionalScopists.

Scopist.com

Scopist.com is another job resource that can be very useful if you are looking for scoping work.

This site also provides tips and resources that can be extremely helpful when preparing for a new job.

You can then search their job board or post your resume if you are looking to work as a freelance scopist.

Click here to search Scopists.com for remote work.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great resource that can be utilized by scopists of all experience levels.

The website claims that the members who have profiles on this site have access to thousands of opportunities, including freelance and full-time jobs.

In order to access these positions, you must first create your own profile on this site.

It’s free to sign up and you can start looking for work immediately.

Click here to create a FREE LinkedIn account and search for scoping jobs on this site.

StenoSearch.com

Stenosearch.com is a website that allows you to sign up as a scopist and receive notifications when new jobs are posted in your area.

In addition, you can search their database of available positions throughout the United States.

Finally, Steno Search also provides many resources for those interested in becoming court reporters or working as scopists.

Click here to search Steno Search for jobs.

Upwork

Upwork is another website that allows freelancers to search for remote jobs.

You can also use this platform to receive offers from companies that are interested in hiring court reporters and scopists.

In order to use this site as a scopist, you must have a profile and be approved by clients.

Click here to sign up for Upwork and search the job board.

Pros and Cons of landing scoping jobs

Now that you know where to look for scoping careers, it’s time to think about the pros and cons of this line of work.

Pros of working as a scopist

If you are looking for a full-time position or even something part-time, there are plenty of great benefits that come with working as a scopist.

First, many positions can be done from home while still allowing you to work with professional court reporters.

Because scopists are hired by the company, they do not need to worry about finding clients on their own or marketing themselves.


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Cons of scoping work

On the other hand, it is very competitive and most scoping jobs require previous experience.

If you do land a scoping job, it will take a lot of work to learn the ropes and become proficient in your new position.

Finally, it’s difficult to set your own hourly rate or negotiate pay when working with companies that exclusively advertise through online platforms.

Tips for landing scoping gigs

Now that you know about the different resources you can use when looking for scoping work, we’ll go over some of the most important tips and strategies that can help you land these positions.

Be patient

Finding work as a scopist is not an easy task and many of the companies that advertise on sites like Indeed are looking to hire experienced scopists.

Because these jobs are competitive, it may take some time to find one that works for you.

However, there are still plenty of companies that are willing to take a chance on new court reporters or scopists.

It’s just a matter of finding them and convincing them that you can do the work.

Never stop marketing yourself

It is important that you continuously market yourself.

This means looking for new opportunities through the sites listed above and updating your LinkedIn profile regularly.

It doesn’t matter which avenues you use to find scoping jobs as long as you never stop trying.

When companies are looking to hire freelance or remote employees, they will often turn to the platforms we have mentioned above.

Build relationships

Building relationships with other scopists, court reporters, and legal professionals is one of the best strategies that you can use to find a job as a scopist.

It can be difficult to find a reputable company that will allow freelancers to work from home and it’s even harder to convince them to hire someone they have never met.

However, if you already know someone who works for a company that hires scopists, you can ask them to recommend you or talk with the hiring manager about your skills.

Conclusion

Now that you know where to find scoping jobs, all that’s left is to break into the industry.

It can be tough at first but if you are persistent and stay positive, you will succeed.

That is why you should never stop marketing yourself and always stay on top of your game!

So what are you waiting for?

Start searching now and find the perfect scoping job for you.

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