First Day On The Job

So, on the 3rd, just a few days after I got to D.C., I had to sit in on a depo with the owner of the firm. It was five hours long. Phew, talk about stamina. It started at 11am and two five minute breaks later, ended. No lunch break ladies...always take a snack is the first lesson I learned. Between me and the owner, I was surprised we could hear any of the audio over our stomachs. LOL.

But, after the owner looked over my editing job, she gave me a few tips that I thought would be helpful.

1) Never use gonna and wanna for the attorneys, even if they actually said those words. After all that money they spent in law school, they will not be happy seeing those words on the deposition. Good point!

2) Try to get the by-lines in while you're typing to save on editing time.

3) Get your machine cleaned before you start working in the real world. Apparently, my machine had a subtle click noise that was noticeable during transcription.

4) Get a backup recorder with microphone to use as a backup if your audiosynch isn't working, just in case.

5) Get cheap microphones for your computer and backup recorder, just in case some client is nervous and spills her coffee all over your newly acquired equipment.

6) After each job, go directly home and at least work on 30 pages, just to get the first part out of your mind. That's usually the names and spellings of all the people involved in the case.

7) Ask each lawyer for a business card, and also ask them for the spelling of the names before you leave. I have made a keystroke on my machine for a bookmark that I check during break and get the spellings then. No research after that.

8) Get the case caption, or title page, from the case from one of the lawyers, so you will have all the correct information. Don't always trust the job information that is given to you from the firm. People can make typing erors. <-----

9) Always be dressed business professional, meaning a suit, usually pants. If you wear a skirt, and you're outside, it might not be so fun. Stay safe, and stick with the pant suit. Even if the lawyers tell you that it's a casual deposition, you want to appear professional. Let them be casual while you stay professional.

And most importantly, go in there looking like you've been doing this for years. Do not even let them know you're nervous or new. If they know that, they will ask you to readback often, and well, that could be disastrous for your first job. Trust me. My notes were slop for the first two minutes. It wasn't pretty.