Location doesn’t matter as a transcript proofreader! That’s because transcripts are sent digitally so you can send and receive jobs from wherever you live or travel to. That means if you live halfway around the globe in the UK, for example, you can still proofread for court reporters in the United States…with some important caveats.
You need to know US grammar and spelling.
If you’re from Canada, the UK, Australia, or another English-speaking country, you know there are some differences when it comes to US English including some spelling and grammar rules. When you work with US court reporter clients, you have to be able to switch to US English. Thankfully, it’s not a hard crossover once you get used to the differences.
You must be fluent in conversational US English.
To proofread for US court reporters, you must be completely fluent in conversational US English. I stress conversational because transcripts are the verbatim spoken word, which doesn’t follow the formal English you learn in grammar books in school and use to write college papers. It’s often very laidback and informal. Beyond that, the speakers in transcripts often use slang terms and idioms that are very localized to the US and can be very difficult to understand if you aren’t from the US or accustomed to casual US English conversations.
You need a way to convert currency.
If your currency is different from USD, you will need a way to convert currency when you invoice clients. PayPal will convert most currencies for an additional fee.
Learn How to Be a Transcript Proofreader training
There are court reporters in other countries too! (For instance, Canadian transcripts are pretty similar to those here in the US!) Typically other countries have some variations in their transcript formatting, but proofers don’t format transcripts, so that wouldn’t be hard to get used to. For court reporters around the world who use proofreaders, there wouldn’t be that many differences as the role of proofers is the same across the board.
If you’re considering learning how to be a transcript proofreader with my training (Learn How to Be a Transcript Proofreader), know that my focus is on US court reporters and setting up a business here in the States. The steps for how to set up a business in your country will probably be a little different than here in the US, but wherever you are, I always recommend connecting with a local accountant to ensure your business is set up correctly. (I help step you through this inside my course!)
Want to learn more about transcript proofreading and see if it’s a good fit for you? Tap here to watch my free workshop!
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