Are you looking for a lucrative work from home job that you can learn how to do in a matter of months? If that answer is YES! (and I’m sure it is), scoping might be the perfect work from home career for you.
A career as a scopist will not only allow you to work from home but provide you with valuable new skills and flexibility to scale your career on your terms.
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What is Scoping and What is a Scopist?
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Have you ever watched an episode of Law & Order and wondered how the court reporters review and edit their notes? They don’t! They hire scopists. A scopist is a person who is hired by court reporters (also known as court stenographers) to review and edit their notes.
Court stenographers use special machines called stenotypes to record court notes. These notes are actually typed in shorthand, which allows them to capture more information in a shorter amount of time. After typing into the stenotypes, the notes are uploaded to transcription software (called CAT – computer-assisted translation) to translate the notes from shorthand to English.
In fact, court reporters do a lot of work, and that work needs to be edited for accuracy correctly. As a scopist, that’s where you’d come in! These notes need to be accurate so that anyone who needs to read them can understand what is happening in the court case.
As a scopist, you would be using the same transcription software that the court reporter uses as well as audio to edit the notes for accuracy.
Edits that you would possibly make include:
- Formatting
- Spelling (especially of names and specific terms)
- Punctuation
- Checking for accuracy of the speakers
Who Would Make a Good Scopist?
Simply put, anyone can make a good scopist! However, you have to be willing to put in the time and the effort to learn how to do it well.
Even though anyone can learn how to be a scopist, particular people may be more interested or better-skilled for this job.
Here are a couple of examples:
- English majors or teachers
- Journalism majors or journalists
- People interested in the civil or criminal justice system
- Life-long learners
- Proficient typists
- Proofreaders looking to expand their skill set
Recommended:
How Much Do Scopists Make?
Scoping can pay very well if you are good at what you do and build up a solid reputation. Scopists are usually paid per page, with the average payment being $1 to $1.25 (per page).
Like with any job, however, some factors can affect how much you earn, such as your experience, how much/how often you work, your turnaround speed, your typing speed, and more.
A scopists salary can truly be up to them. That’s what makes it such a great work from home job. You can scale up (or down) depending on your current needs or wants. Take the summer off to spend extra time with your children and ramp back up in the fall when they go back to school.
Scopists who make this their full-time job can expect to earn anywhere from $2000 a month to $6000 a month as they increase their expertise.
The best way to make the most money being a scopist is to hone your craft, do excellent work, and provide good customer service. If you do these things, the court reporters will continue to return to you again and again. This will hopefully lead to your existing clients recommending you to their colleagues!
What Do You Need to Do Scoping?
Luckily, there are only a few materials that you need to do scoping (once you’ve learned how to do it, of course).
A computer (laptop or desktop)
As a scopist, your computer is your central hub of work. I highly recommend using a laptop so that you can have even more flexibility in your career. Who wouldn’t want to work from the beach?
Scoping software
Scoping software will allow you to translate and edit the transcriptions that you receive from court reporters.
There are a few companies that sell scoping software like Stenovations , Stenograph , and EclipseCat . Each of these companies sells their scoping software at about $1600.
If you want to give it a try before committing to scoping, Stenovations offers its digitalCAT scoping software free for 90 days.
Is this expensive? Yes, but with starting any new business venture, there are going to be expenses. Think of it as an investment in your future.
Internet connection
If you’re reading this, I’m already betting that you have 2 of three materials that you need to get started with scoping.
If you don’t have these materials, it’ll take some money to get started, BUT you can easily make your money back through scoping. Plus, it also counts as a business expense that you can write off on your taxes. Make sure to keep your receipts!
Other things that you may want that could make scoping (and working from home) easier:
- An ergonomic office chair
- Headphones (for listening to audio recordings)
- Morson’s English Guide for Court Reporters (recommended by many scoping programs)
How Do You Become a Scopist?
So you know what scoping is. You know what you need to be a scopist. And you know how much they make.
If you’ve read this far, I’m going to guess that you want to know exactly how to get started with becoming a scopist.
Before actually getting into scoping, you need to learn how to become a scopist. While it is something that you can learn, it takes time, hard work, and some skill.
The first thing that you should know about becoming a scopist is that you do NOT need a degree. So don’t worry about having to take out a loan to go to a traditional college or university to become a scopist.
Even though you don’t need a degree, as I mentioned before, you do need training. Like I mentioned when talking about the scoping software, think of it as an investment in your future.
How Long Does Scopist Training Take?
Training to become a scopist will usually take less than one year to do. Most scoping training programs are self-paced so you can do them at your leisure. Though if you are serious about learning this career, you should set aside time each day to go through the training.
How Much Does Scopist Training Cost?
There are many places that you can learn how to be a scopist such as Internet Scoping School , Accolade Scoping Education , and BeST Scoping Techniques . The tuition for these scoping training ranges from $1500 to $2500. Given that the average scopist makes $30,000 to $50,000 a year, you will make that money back in no time!
Where Should I Get Scoping Training?
I highly recommend Internet Scoping School . Why? Not only do they have a FREE Intro to Scoping mini course, but the course instructor Linda Evenson also has decades of experience in scoping and started the Internet Scoping School in 1998! She has taught thousands of students and helped them launch their carers in scoping.
If you are not already aware, scoping is in high demand right now.
With Internet Scoping School, you’ll learn the following information you need for the actual job of scoping:
- Advanced Punctuation
- Note reading
- Medical Terminology
- Transcription Production
- Case CATalyst 4+
And other benefits to help you practice and run a scoping business:
- Practice files (with real transcripts!)
- A discount for the Case CATalyst 4+ Software
- How to market a scoping business (including setting up an effective website!)
- How to do your taxes as a business owner
- Postings of court reporters looking for scopists
- Lifetime updates! Never worry about this course not being the most up to date information that you need to have a lucrative scoping business.
Where Do I Find Jobs for Scopists?
There are a couple of places where you can look for jobs being a scopists. However, most scopists find their jobs through networking in the court reporting community.
Here are a few places that you can get started finding scoping jobs:
- Professional Scopists
- Association for Court Reporters and Captioners (you’ll need to be a member)
- Stenosearch
After you’ve enrolled in the Internet Scope School’s course , make sure to join Linda’s free Facebook group .There you can join in on conversations with other scopists.
Recommended articles for real-life inspiration:
- It's A Pandemic! Can I Really Keep Busy With Scoping?
- How I Went from Laid Off to Earning Up to $4,500 per Month as a Scopist: Darice’s Story
- How This Work-at-Home Mom Earns Up To $3000 Per Month As A Scopist
Conclusion
Scoping is not for someone looking to get rich quick. It is for people who are ready to learn something new,excel at their craft, and provide exceptional customer service. It won’t be easy but it can be a much faster (and cheaper) way to living the life that you want on your terms.
The great thing about scoping is that it can be a full-time career or a side hustle to make extra money. If you’re looking to make some extra cash to take a vacation, save for a house, or want a new full-time career, becoming a scopist could be the perfect job for you.
Are you ready to be a scopist now? Enroll at Internet Scope School and start building your dream career!