Do you do minute taking?

[Celeriacacaca]

If so, what does it involve please? I've seen a job and just wonder what it involves please?

How do you take the minutes - recorded or shorthand? What format do you then submit them in please?

TIA.

In the last 10 years I've noticed that in my civil service job minutes have been taken less and less often. When I started I had to scribble furiously in every meeting in order to capture everything everyone said and I have seen minutes from the 80s which were clearly taken by someone who knew shorthand. These days if any notes are taken at all we just have a list of people who attended and a list of the actions that need to be taken forward and who is going to do it. This is partly because the minute taker is more involved in the meeting itself rather than being a secretary who sits by the side and only has the minutes to complete. We don't have secretaries any more.

I've never been able to learn shorthand. My mum was a typing teacher and she tried to teach me but I was impervious. I am quite good at making sense of vague discussions, summarising them and writing down what actions need to be taken though.

I would imagine each organisation has their own way of doing things and that if they believe in developing their employees they will show you some of the old minutes which will give you an idea of how much detail is needed.

so basically we would have:-

Meeting name, date

List of people there

Heading 1 (ie finance report 14/15)

AP1 (Action Point 1) Dave P to investigate such and such and report back next meeting.
AP1 Biba S to generate report and circulate within group

Heading 2 etc etc etc

Other organisations may want you to ad the He said, she said stuff (it may be legally necessary of course) in which case I suspect recording or shorthand is essential.

Hi Tia

As sisters of mercy states above there are many different types these days.

I was an EA In finace & minute taking was formal for legal reasons. It was digitally recorded and transcribed by myself. I also attended and took notes.

Now I work for myself I am often asked to take minutes and they vat. I have documented legal notes, health notes both formal. I don't use shorthand but record, transcribe & produce a list of action to be taken forward.

I have also taken minutes which are more like a short summary of a discussion. eg Point 3 on the agenda may be Previous minutes. A discussion may take place while the attendee's discuss the previous minutes.
I would summerise this as 'A discussion took place between all present regarding the minutes from previous meeting that took place 14th April 2015. Minutes were agreed as accurate' I would only detail any action points that were discussed & these would be clearly identified.

I hope that makes sense.

I think if it is a formal role you should ask some questions about who they provide minutes for.

Hope this helps & best of luck

Ceri
www.lifewithbumps.co.uk