Project coordinators (PCrs) are key players on the project team. PCrs schedule meetings, scribe meeting notes, and capture important action items during meetings. As a new PCr, the tasks may seem overwhelming at first. Below, I will describe ways to manage tasks and take the overwhelming feelings away!
First, as a new PCr there will be pieces of training to review and complete. netlogx provides a great Style Guide training course on the TalentLMS site. These training sessions are vital and will help you throughout your career as a PCr. The netlogx Style Guide is used for all meeting notes, so it is essential to familiarize yourself with the document and pay attention during the training.
My suggestion is to bookmark the Style Guide and the Style Guide Checklist for easy access. Another team member provided the new PCr training to me and was an excellent resource for answering questions and directing new PCR training tasks. I asked Tabatha Anderson a lot of questions. As a new PCr, do not be afraid to ask questions!
After completing your training, you will be placed on a project. I was given the opportunity to shadow multiple PCrs on the project and compare meeting notes after the meetings. I suggest asking to shadow the sessions you will potentially be scribing because it really helps to understand the dialogue and gives you more confidence going into the meeting on your own.
Take the opportunity to talk to previous PCrs for any tips and advice regarding the project in general and the meetings they scheduled and scribed. You never know which meeting you might be asked to cover! This is a great way to have a better understanding overall.
Previous meeting notes are uploaded to SharePoint and I always review the most recent notes. This helps capture the conversations and understand the acronyms used in certain meetings. There are a lot of acronyms, but do not feel overwhelmed because they are used so often that you will learn them quickly! Most projects will have an acronym list; I suggest asking if this is available and bookmarking the list for easy access.
Overall, there will be so many learning opportunities as a new PCr. Do not feel overwhelmed and do not be afraid to ask questions! Take the time to review the trainings, Style Guide checklists, and previous meeting documents. Being prepared for a meeting will make you feel more confident and ready to ace your new PCr tasks!
