The Guardian

College of Court Reporting est. 1984

December 2017

FIRST IMPRESSIONS IN A SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

By CCR instructor, Melissa Lee, CRI, CCR, A.S.

In life we are granted one first: our first step, our first day at school, our first kiss. Firsts are so important, in fact, it has been said that there is never a second chance to make a first impression. With that thought in mind, think about this: Potential employers often use Google and internet-based social websites to glean information about an applicant they are considering for employment. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what do the pictures on your social media accounts tell a future employer about you, and what kind of first impression will they be left with?

When you graduate, your transcript will not be the only thing you are selling. You, too, become a part of the product you are marketing. Your behavior represents not only yourself, but your future employer and your court reporting community as a whole. The activities you choose to participate in, your dress, and your appearance all become indicators to others of the person you are long before your work product is ever seen. In fact, most people will come to know about you before they personally know about you strictly based on a reputation that precedes you in a field where honesty, integrity, and discretion are paramount.

Understanding that your online image is the first impression of who you are is another important "first." People will determine if you are a person they want to work with from what they learn about you online. Start by guarding your name and your reputation the same way you would guard your Social Security number. Be mindful not only of the things you choose to post and say on social networking sites but the things you choose to allow yourself to be a part of or to participate in

With that said, remember that it is not always the picture you post on your Facebook or Instagram account that can have a detrimental effect on the impression you leave with others; it can be the picture you allow to be taken of you that is later tagged on someone else's social media account. Be mindful of the things you allow to be written on your wall. While you cannot control others and their opinions, you do have control over what is on your personal page and, presumably, what you post there reflects your opinions. While not always fair, some will judge guilty by association; so choose your associates wisely.

While an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure regarding one's reputation and first impressions specifically, those who do have an embarrassing hiccup in their person histories should remember this: Do not allow yourself to be defined by your mistakes but, rather, by how you choose to overcome them, never forgetting your lessons learned today and applying them to all your tomorrows. Own your past and the mistakes it holds so they won't later own you. Be forthcoming regarding those errors in judgment so that you will never be presumed guilty of lying by omission.

While we strive for perfection, we will never be perfect. And while no firm is looking for perfection in an applicant, they are looking for someone who represents them, their values, and their company in a way they can be proud of and that they can sell to others. Begin this day becoming the reporter you want to market in your future. Develop a reputation that you can be proud of, and you will be showing others how much of an asset you will be to their team.

Reprinted from the JCR

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It's Not Too Late!

Interested in becoming a court reporter but don't want to wait weeks or months to start school? Not a problem! CCR is now starting classes every five weeks. In fact, our next start date is January 8th - just around the corner!

Contact Nicky Rodriquez at 866-294-3974 ext. 222 or nicky.rodriquez@ccr.edu for more information.

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CCR STUDENT ATTENDS STATE CONVENTION - Ann Marie Gibson

I was thrilled when Nicky asked me to write a paragraph or two for the newsletter. That is until I realized I’m more of a five-paragraph essay sort of girl, especially when I’m this excited about something. It is only my third-semester as a student at CCR, but on October 29th, I attended the New Jersey Certified Court Reporters Association (CCRA-NJ) Fall Conference at the exquisite Mansion on Main Street in Voorhees, New Jersey. The conference itself was the typical combination of networking and educational sessions. Our time was filled listening to various speakers including speedbuilding champions, a linguist (one of my favorites of the day), a judge along with two attorneys (also at the top of my list), a motivational speaker, and more. May I mention there was also really great food, desserts, and unlimited coffee.

There are countless stories I could share about my experiences that day, but instead, I would just like to encourage any student, no matter how far along in the education process, to please join a local court reporting association. Then take the next step, and attend an educational conference and really become a part of your new journey. I was terrified to spend the day with professionals since I have no true experience at this point, so the most surprising element of the day was the interest all the “real” court reporters took in me as a student. There was no judgement, only encouragement, curiosity about what on-line school is like and what speed I’m writing, and an overwhelming and sincere willingness to help me in any way they could.

The conference further ignited my determination to take charge of my future career. Now more than ever, I can’t wait to start using my CCR education in the work force. If you’re struggling to stay motivated or to push yourself to reach that next speed goal, in my opinion, there is no better way than to get out there and surround yourself with everything you can get your hands on about this field on the local and even national level.

JOB DRAWER

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Official Court Reporter(s)

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Voice Captioner(s)

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Freelance Reporter(s)

Welcome to The Guardian version of the Job Drawer! Each month we'll highlight some jobs that are currently advertising vacancies while taking special note in our "Indiana Spotlight" of Indiana court reporting agencies, courts, captioning services, or CART providers that are interested in hiring.

Indiana Spotlight: Summit City Reporting, Inc.

Summit City Reporting is happy to announce they have openings for freelance reporters and would love to hire! Please contact Tonya Kaiser, RPR, CMRS, and President of Summit City Reporting, Inc. for information on joining their team!

T: 260.486.3954 | 800.977.3376

203 W. Wayne St., Suite 406 | Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

tkaiser@summitcityreporting.com | www.summitcityreporting.com

PLEASE NOTE: Many Indiana agencies are looking to hire court reporters! Contact Natalie Kijurna at natalie.kijurna@ccr.edu if you have any questions or want more information.

Court Reporter, PohlmanUSA, St. Louis, MO, Chicago, IL or nationwide