How to Hire a Project Coordinator

Why hire a project coordinator?

A great project coordinator can:

• Provide the necessary tools and resources to all project teams
• Develop project schedules with staffing and resource estimates and submit those to management
• Help create summary reports and project phases documentation for company management

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance project coordinator

Freelance project coordinators are primarily hired by companies that don’t frequently have projects running. The company may maintain relationships with specific freelance project coordinators that it hires when it does have projects. This can be cheaper for the business when compared to hiring a full-time employee to take on infrequent projects. 

Companies that have consistent projects, such as content agencies and construction companies, should look into hiring full-time project coordinators. Full-time employees have a lower hourly cost than freelancers. They can also be held to a higher level of accountability for the quality of their work. 

What are the types of project coordinators?

Project coordinator is a term that encompasses different positions in various fields. Coordinators in each of these fields may have varying responsibilities. Some of the industries project coordinators can work in include:

• Construction: A project coordinator on a construction project may be responsible for hiring crew members, developing reports on the project’s progress for the client and ensuring compliance with safety codes. 
• IT: IT project coordinators keep team members up to date on deadlines, ensure that the project is coming in under budget, help roll out new software features and keep track of errors. 
• Content: Project coordinators in the content industry may set up projects on their respective platforms, build teams of writers and editors, send out instructions and feedback to the team and ensure the copy fits the requirements. 
• Insurance: Insurance project coordinators oversee the reconstruction of claimants’ homes and offices following a natural disaster. 

Where to find project coordinators

To find the right project coordinator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Search online. Depending on the industry the project coordinator works in, they may be available to hire and work with online. Make contact with quality candidates to set up meetings and find out if they want the job. 
• Hang help wanted signs. By posting signs about the job, you may increase the likelihood that quality candidates in the community will send in applications. 
• Hire from within. There may be some employees in your business who show the potential to take on a coordinator position. Assess their leadership skills and set up interviews. 
• Post your job online. Try posting your project coordinator job on Indeed to find and attract quality project coordinator candidates.

What are the types of project coordinators?

Project coordinator is a term that encompasses different positions in various fields. Coordinators in each of these fields may have varying responsibilities. Some of the industries project coordinators can work in include:

• Construction: A project coordinator on a construction project may be responsible for hiring crew members, developing reports on the project’s progress for the client and ensuring compliance with safety codes. 
• IT: IT project coordinators keep team members up to date on deadlines, ensure that the project is coming in under budget, help roll out new software features and keep track of errors. 
• Content: Project coordinators in the content industry may set up projects on their respective platforms, build teams of writers and editors, send out instructions and feedback to the team and ensure the copy fits the requirements. 
• Insurance: Insurance project coordinators oversee the reconstruction of claimants’ homes and offices following a natural disaster. 

Writing a project coordinator job description

A thoughtful description is important to finding qualified project coordinator candidates. A project coordinator job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your project coordinator job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on project coordinator jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Project coordinator 
• Coordinator
• Project manager
• Public health 
• Assistant
• Construction project manager
• Program coordinator
• Remote work from home
• Project
• Construction

Interviewing project coordinator candidates

To hire a suitable project coordinator, take the time to vet candidates and ask detailed interview questions to understand their knowledge and skills. They should be confident answering questions regarding: 

• Expertise in developing project schedules and resource plans for effective project operations
• Previous experience providing project estimates to the project management team as needed
• How they’ve contributed to achieving smooth project operations by managing resources

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of project coordinator interview questions for examples (with sample answers).