Meeting Minutes

Term from Clerical Services industry explained for recruiters

Meeting Minutes are official records or notes of what happens during a business meeting. Think of them as a written memory of important discussions, decisions, and action items. Creating meeting minutes is a key responsibility in many office jobs, where someone needs to document who attended, what was discussed, and what was decided. This skill is especially important in roles like Administrative Assistant, Secretary, or Executive Assistant. While some people might just call it "taking notes," meeting minutes are more formal and structured, following specific business standards.

Examples in Resumes

Recorded and distributed Meeting Minutes for weekly executive team meetings of 15+ participants

Created detailed Meeting Minutes for board meetings and shareholder presentations

Managed documentation including Meeting Minutes and action items for departmental meetings

Typical job title: "Meeting Minutes Takers"

Also try searching for:

Administrative Assistant Secretary Executive Assistant Office Administrator Corporate Secretary Meeting Coordinator Board Secretary

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you handle confidential information in meeting minutes?

Expected Answer: Should discuss experience with maintaining confidentiality, proper document storage, distribution protocols, and knowing what to include or exclude from official records.

Q: How do you manage meeting minutes for multiple high-level meetings occurring in the same week?

Expected Answer: Should explain organizational systems, prioritization methods, and techniques for maintaining accuracy while handling multiple meetings.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What format do you use for meeting minutes and why?

Expected Answer: Should be able to describe different formats (action-item based, discussion based, etc.) and explain when to use each type based on meeting purpose.

Q: How do you ensure accuracy in meeting minutes?

Expected Answer: Should mention techniques like recording meetings (when permitted), clarifying points during meetings, and reviewing with meeting chair before distribution.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the essential elements that should be included in meeting minutes?

Expected Answer: Should list basics like date, time, attendees, agenda items, decisions made, and action items with owners and deadlines.

Q: How do you handle action items in meeting minutes?

Expected Answer: Should explain how to clearly document who is responsible for what tasks and by when, and how to follow up on these items.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic minute-taking and formatting
  • Use of standard office software
  • Following templates and guidelines
  • Basic business writing skills

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Independent minute creation
  • Managing multiple meeting records
  • Action item tracking
  • Effective summarization skills

Senior (5+ years)

  • Board meeting documentation
  • Confidential information handling
  • Training others in minute-taking
  • Creating minute-taking procedures

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Poor writing and grammar skills
  • Inability to maintain confidentiality
  • Lack of attention to detail
  • Poor organization skills
  • No experience with common office software