Some Stenographers specialize in particular fields such as medicine, engineering, or law. They must be familiar with the technical terminology and the documents used in their specialty. They may begin in a stenographic pool, working wherever they are needed. More often they are assigned to one department and take dictation from one or more people in that department. Offices are usually well lit and pleasant but may be noisy and busy.
Stenographers sometimes work under the pressure of deadlines and frequent interruptions.
The following information is from the California Projections of Employment published by the Labor Market Information Division. Despite employment declines in this occupation, qualified Stenographers will be needed to replace workers trained in specialized fields such as legal stenography and for those who have a broad range of clerical or secretarial skills. At the present time, employers report a growing shortage of job applicants who can pass their basic typing, shorthand, and language tests. Marginally skilled applicants may have difficulty finding work. Fringe benefits include paid vacations, holidays and sick leave, medical and dental insurance, and a pension plan.