Shorthand writing may not be known by many, but it’s actually used quite a lot in various fields and work profiles in some or other way. While the method of writing is called shorthand, the actual process is known as stenography which typically involves using machines such as steno machines and typewriters.
That said, for those who are proficient with typing on a computer keyboard, stenography could be a potential work opportunity for them by learning its fundamentals and some core basis to get started. Its knowledge can be acquired by going for stenography courses which may open work opportunities down the line.
What you’ll learn in a Shorthand Course
When going for a shorthand learning course, here’s what may get to know about stenography and, more specifically, shorthand writing –
1. Learn the basics of shorthand
A shorthand course, whether offline or online, will firstly impart the fundamentals and give an overview of the field. It may also provide the aspirant with the necessary course materials to aid in learning shorthand writing.
2. Using shorthand techniques in various scenarios
Once the basic knowledge is acquired, the next phase in a stenography course is to implement the learnings in practical scenarios. Stenography is widely used in courts, public offices, and government agencies, where the proceedings are to be recorded by hand in a fast and efficient way. That’s why to be ready for such situations; candidates may be given tasks and give them a gist of real-world scenarios.
3. Implementing shorthand in typewriting
The actual stenography implementation begins on a typewriter or a steno machine. Students enrolled in a shorthand course will be given certain sets of texts to be typed on a machine using the shorthand writing technique, which utilizes shortcuts and certain phrases to make the typing faster. An experienced stenographer can type as many as 200+ words under a minute in real works scenarios!
4. Polishing skills by practical training
Next, students will be required to continue with their practice which will inch them closer to getting a working opportunity as a stenographer intern, trainee, or even job, depending on their capability and knowledge expertise throughout the stenography course. Let’s move further with the blog to explore the working opportunities and scope of stenography or shorthand.
Job opportunities in stenography writing
Competent shorthand writers and stenographers have various career opportunities in India, ranging from private to government jobs. Once you’ve duly completed a shorthand course with certification, it opens several career doors, such as a stenographer job in a law firm. Lawyers require to stenographers to take statements from clients and are even required in courtrooms to record the trials and hearings without a single error. Also, with the number of court cases in India, rest assured you’ll never be out of work and will have endless tasks at your disposal.
Also, stenographers are mainly required in various government departments and agencies to quickly take down official statements and policies. Moving on, a person well versed in stenography writing can even apply for recruitment exams conducted by SSC (Staff Level Commission), UPSC, Banking Service Recruitment Boards, and other state-level government bodies which require stenography services.
How to get a job in stenography after course completion?
This comes as one of the hardest parts after completing a stenography course, i.e. getting a high-paying job in stenography. The first and foremost step in applying for a job is to look up for fresher openings on job platforms and portals such as LinkedIn. Chances are, many private firms post an opening over there for candidates to apply. If you can find reputed law firms go ahead and apply to them. Apart from that, you go can head over to various government job portal websites and apply for interviews or recruitment exams for stenography positions.