How to Jumpstart Your Event Planner Career
If that is something that you know you would succeed in keep reading for more information on the events industry and career options.
Personal and large-scale event planning are two very different genres. Before entering the professional world or corporate events, weddings, or charity events, understand precisely what is needed and expected from you in an event planning career.
Below are a few things you need to know before getting into the events industry:
Degree:
A degree is an important step you need to take to become a professional event planner, it is not necessarily required, but it does help with securing a job because it is a competitive field. In addition, it will give you the one-up with your event planning career when applying against other candidates.Multiple different types of degrees will fulfill the need. For example, a bachelor’s in business, communications, public relations, marketing, or hospitality management will be sufficient in leading you to become an event planner.
Experience:
Experience is critical, events can be overwhelming and not everyone can handle the fast-paced, high-energy environment.Having your potential employer know you have already been in these situations and learned hands-on how to handle them is a great skill to show off. Of course, everyone can study and learn the ins and outs but physically working the job is a different experience.
Certifications:
Certifications are not required, but as we talked about with a degree, it will give you an advantage when applying for jobs. Unfortunately, many certificated are hard to obtain due to there being prerequisites for many of them that need to be accomplished before you are even able to apply for the certificate.A few well-known certifications in the event planning world are:
CMP: certified meeting professional. According to eventscoucil.org, the CMP credential is recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the events industry.
CSEP: certified special events professional. According to ileahub.com, a CSEP has demonstrated the support of excellence in the live events field.
CMM: certificate in meeting management. According to mpi.org, a CMM is where you will learn how to assert yourself as a dynamic and credentialed professional through our three-pronged educational approach, which focuses on, Business Management, Leadership, and Meeting Management.
Event Type:
Figuring out what type of event you would like to plan is essential because none are the same. People hire specialized event planners for weddings, corporate meetings, charity events, and concerts.Choosing the correct one you would like to pursue is important. You want to be passionate about what you are doing. Look at all the industries within event planning and how each planning process works to give yourself an idea of what would fit best for you. Event planners are needed in every sector; below are a few popular ones in the events industry:
Weddings
Film
Entertainment
Corporate
Hotels and Hospitality
Sporting Events
Nonprofits
Relevant skills to have in order to thrive in event planning
Problem-solving skills:
Just like any job you choose, you will run into bumps in the road. Something can always go wrong before, after, or during an event. If a problem occurs during an event, you need to figure out what you can do to solve it instantly, so the event itself or the attendees do not get affected by this problem.Thinking on your toes is essential when choosing to work in the events industry!
Organization skills:
Being very organized is a given for this job. You are planning an event: finances, venues, catering, transportation, staff, and more will rely on you. Being organized down to the last detail will prepare you for any issues that might occur throughout the planning process and the event itself.
Interpersonal skills:
Interpersonal skills are very important and will allow you to connect better with your potential clients and vendors. When an event planner is hired, it is typically for a large-scale event where you will be in contact for months or even years leading up to the event. Therefore, creating relationships during that time so your clients feel well taken care of and trust you is important!
This is also a great skill to possess when dealing with vendors. Sometimes butting heads with the vendor comes with the job, but having a solid business relationship with them will make your life much easier.
Creative skills:
People hire event planners to create unique and successful events. Anyone can plan their own event; they bring in you to take it to the next level and get their guests talking.You must be a creative, out-of-the-box thinker who brings fresh ideas to each event to keep old clients and potential clients interested in your work. They want new ideas brought to the table that they have not seen at other events before; this is where your creativity comes into play.
Adaptability skills:
Being able to adapt to any situation that is thrown at you is a great skill to have. This goes hand and hand with problem-solving skills. For example, sometimes a venue isn’t always what you thought it would be, or a vendor forgets something needed for the event; you must be able to adapt and solve those problems under pressure to please the potential clients you may have.Leadership skills:
During an event, you will be the primary contact for any questions or concerns. During this time, you are a leader and need to be able to take charge and step into that leadership role. You cannot be afraid to take control. You must also direct vendors, guest speakers, guests, and the event host.
All of these requirements and skills are recommended. However, if you know you are capable of being a great event planner and you do not possess all of these, do not worry; what matters most is passion and drive if you have that everything will fall into place, and you will learn over time how to be the best and please your potential clients! Business Events
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