By Tammy Clark August
Being nervous or fearful of displaying your realtime screen the very first time is very normal. Feeling nervous about doing just about anything for the first time is normal, particularly if you are doing it in front of a highly educated audience.
Here is some great advice from some very qualified realtime reporters that I received with suggestions on how to overcome the fear of someone reading and critiquing your work.
- Know that repetition is key. The more you write realtime, the more you will become at ease with others viewing your translation. Do realtime on every single job. Set up your laptop, iPads, and tablets on the table; get used to having them in front of you, facing in whatever direction you feel most comfortable.
- Benefit from working with client attorneys from an older generation. They typically are not interested in technology and are the perfect ones to practice on. They will not pay attention to what the purpose of realtime is and certainly not touch anything for fear of messing something up. When the deposition is over, go ahead and give them a brief description of how very beneficial this technology is. It is likely they will share their realtime experience with their younger associates, who will be familiar with technology and excited to learn that you can provide this latest service to them.
- Provide your iPad to the paralegal or associate who is attending the deposition. Ask them to navigate the screen, and elicit their comments about its functionality. They will be intrigued viewing the iPad and pay little attention to your writing.
- Provide your iPad to a videographer. Videographers are well aware of how difficult our jobs can be. The next time you are working on a videotaped deposition, ask the videographer for some feedback. You won’t feel the same pressure you might feel from an attorney, and you will have begun sharing your realtime screen with someone else.
The more advanced we are with our technology, the better the chance of increasing our client base. So no more excuses! Go out and conquer your fear. Don’t let it conquer you.
Tammy Clark August, RDR, CRR, CRC, is a freelance court reporter and agency owner from Killen, Ala. She can be reached at tammy@clarkcourtreporting.com.
