Project Coordinator: Interview with Kendall Westbrook

Are you a smart, organized, people-person who isn't afraid to embrace technology and learn new things? If you are, then you may be interested in a career in Technical Project Management or Coordination. My conversation with Kendall Westbrook, Project Coordinator at LevelTen, opened my eyes to how important people skills are in the tech world. Here's my interview with her:

Sky: What did you study in school and why?

Kendall: I studied Criminal Justice. It was interesting and intellectually stimulating, but I didn’t feel like I was doing enough in that career. I love writing and have always been involved in marketing and PR so I decided to look for something in that field. Plus I always loved working with people and customer service has been a part of every job I’ve had. After hearing what I would be doing if I went into web design, it just seemed like a perfect fit. 

Sky: What is a typical day in your career like?

Kendall: Kristin and I catch up in the mornings – host stand-up, figure out what’s going on with each project, and get a grip on the day. Mostly it’s putting out fires – a client will message you about an issue they’re having and you have to figure out what’s going on, how to fix it, if you can fix it, how long it will take, and then communicate that back to them. There’s obviously scheduled stuff but it’s primarily just making sure everything is pieced together correctly.

Sky: What are some of the challenges of being a project coordinator?

Kendall: I think originally it was just difficult to walk in to lots of projects that were already started. I love people, so I don’t find it’s hard to deal with people. I think mostly it’s just making sure that every detail is taken care of, and learning enough Drupal and web development stuff to keep work on your plate and not bug the developers too much.

Sky: Did you ever imagine yourself in this career path? 

Kendall: Yes, actually. I’ve been involved in marketing since I was in high school – I love writing and working with other people. So this ended up being an incredible fit for me. Every time I tell someone what I’m doing, they’re always like “oh yeah, I can see that.” It makes more sense than almost any other job I’ve had

Sky: Are you reading anything currently?

Kendall: My Instagram newsfeed. I just discovered Amy Porterfield and fell in love. I also run my own fitness brand that I’m currently expanding, so I’m reading a lot of best-practices stuff for blogs and social media at the moment.

Sky: If you could speak any language, what would you choose?

Kendall: I actually speak conversational French, and enough Italian to order food and not get lost. I love travelling internationally, especially Europe. So any European language is fine with me!

Sky: What caffeinated beverage should we stock in the fridge for you? 
Hi-Ball energy drink!