Help! I have never had to take minutes and I don't know how. There are so many places asking for us to take minutes these days. How can I learn how to be a professional at this? Any/all suggestions and ideas welcome. I have been passing up too many job opening due to my lack of knowledge and experience.
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Thanks everyone. Great information! Someone said that I could learn though a school? Is this at a community college. Was that what you meant?
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Anonymous on
7/21/2012 3:35:43 PM
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I've taken meeting minutes for the past 30 years -- Board of Directors, Board Committees, departmental meeting minutes, etc. -- for hospitals and government agencies. I would recommend purchasing a "Style Guide For Business and Technical Communication" or similar publication, which will give you a general overview of minute-taking, and then read the minutes of the organization/committee/group for which you will be working (or even your current employer) to see how they are done. Each organization is different and each type may be different. Our Board and Board Committee minutes are more formal than the departmental minutes; and our minutes tend to be very detailed. Also, I found it to be a great way to learn a lot about the organization.
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Anonymous on
7/18/2012 2:15:14 PM
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Hello,
Settle down.
Several minute books are in library, bookstores, etc.
There is a easy structure,
an agenda, group/meeting name, date and time, attendees.
Only put in minutes important information said and conducted and no hear say.Stick to the point and goal. Afterwards close with who took minutes and time adjourned and any other continuing information necessary for attendees.
Hope this helps, good luck
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Nancy Jordan on
7/18/2012 1:55:53 PM
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Rhonda Scharf of On the Right Track offers a great seminar titled "Minute Taking Made Easy." You can contact Rhonda at info@on-the-right-track.com via email. You might want to consider taking a seminar because if it is truly "Minutes" you are taking and not just meeting notes, there is certain criteria you must follow for Minutes vs Meeting Notes. Minutes are public record whereas meeting notes are not. Good luck.
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Leslie Ramer on
7/18/2012 1:51:02 PM
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Not to worry. Taking minutes is as easy as writing or typing the discussion as it goes along. That's all it is, really, but with time you will develop speed and an ability to hear the most important pints being made. Of course, you may never really know what's truly "important" until after the meeting -- or the section of the meeting -- is over, and you will certainly have to review your notes before you create your final document.
The final document doesn't need to be complicated. You do need, at the top, the meeting name, the date of the meeting and the subject(s). Next paragraph: write "Attendees" (where you list everyone who was present, who called in by phone, and who was absent.)
Next paragraph: write "Minutes" and list your own name, because you will be the star of minutes-taking, my friend!
From there, simply devote a paragraph, with indented lines for every new speaker or topic, to each section of the meeting. You can give each paragraph a very short title (examples: "Introduction -- Harry Smith" or "Carousel Design -- Elaine Freeman"), and underline the title to make it stand out.
At the very end, write one simple line: "End of minutes."
You will probably wind up making your own style of minutes, which should be all right -- just make sure it's all neat, clear, and that it makes sense. Discuss with your boss exactly how long he or she wants the minutes to be -- some like them very detailed, but some want the minutes to stay under one page.
Good luck!
Fiona Bayly
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Fiona Bayly on
7/18/2012 10:31:34 AM
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There are a lot of online seminars on taking minutes - I am sure you can find something relatively inexpensive to attend in person or online. You can also search with google to read examples of meeting minutes. If you tell a potential employer that you have not taken minutes before, but you have attended a seminar on it and researched the task, it will show initiative on your part.
Taking minutes sounds scary, but once you have your template put together, it isn't bad. It helps if you understand the meeting subject as well, but that will come in time.
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Kathy Morgan on
7/18/2012 9:43:07 AM
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If you Google "taking minute publications" there is a lot of free information as well as publications you can purchase which will help guide you. Shorthand or speedwriting helps as well as the use of a recorder. Then it's a matter of what type of minutes companies prefer. Sometimes it's verbatim (but that's more like a transcript) and other times it's just a summary of each item on the agenda. Once you get the position, it would help to check previous meetings held at that company to see a preferred format.
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Masterg on
7/18/2012 9:41:58 AM
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When I started I was able to record the meetings I took minutes at. I eventually found that took too long, so once I was comfortable I stopped recording meetings. A good piece of advice I was given was: you are not there to record the meeting, but to summarize what happened. Don't be afraid to clarify something for the minutes before they move onto a new topic. It seems painful at first, but soon you'll find it's not that difficult. Good luck!
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Anonymous on
7/18/2012 9:36:20 AM
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I've taken minutes in a variety of positions (deputy clerk to a board (government), as assistant to a board of directors, as secretary at my homeowners association) and each time there were different formats to follow. There aren't any "one size fits all" when it comes to minutes. There are guidelines on-line, classes in local schools, etc.; however, if you have taken notes at a meeting, you can take minutes. Don't pass up opportunities! It's all how you spin it in the interview. But furthering your education is always a good thing. Best of luck.
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Susan Donovan on
7/18/2012 9:36:18 AM
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