Steps
to a Job as an Event Planner
Imagine
having an exciting high-paying job that lets
you use your creativity to organize fun and
important events. Welcome to the world of event
planning!
An event planner is,
quite simply, someone who organizes an event. While
we generally think of an event as something grand
and spectacular, any occasion where people gather
– weddings, festivals, grand openings, meetings, reunions
– need someone to ensure their social success. This
is where you come in! And the good news
for aspiring planners is that the job requires no
formal training or education; event planners generally
rely on natural talent, creativity and determination
to succeed.
As long as you have
the desire, you can become an event planner.
No special education or experience is necessary to
break into this career and succeed. If event
planning sounds like the career of your dreams, here
are ten steps to follow based on the fabjob.com
How to Become an Event Planner:
1. Learn
about the profession: “Event planner”
is a broad term that encompasses everything from corporate
meeting planners to wedding specialists to catering
and hospitality coordinators. Spend some time initially
reading books, searching online and talking to working
event planners to see what areas interest you the
most, and to become familiar with what is expected
of you on the job.
2. Take stock
of your talents: Successful event planners
combine excellent interpersonal skills with organizational
ability to find out exactly what their clients want,
and get the job done. Other key talents include resourcefulness
(accomplishing what you set out to do in the face
of challenges) and a creative flair or an artistic
nature that sets your skills apart from the competition.
3. Educate
yourself: While no degree is necessary to
become an event planner, areas of study (which you
may already have) that impress potential employers
and clients in this field are public relations, marketing,
advertising, human resources, business, and retailing,
as well as hotel and restaurant management, hospitality
and tourism. If you want to strengthen your skills
and supplement your natural abilities, degree programs
are available specifically in event management, as
well as industry educational seminars and at-home
study courses.
4. Develop
your materials: Before you begin job-hunting,
you will want to organize your self-marketing materials
so that they present you at your best. If your resume
is lacking in actual experience, try volunteering
to work with an event planner or organize a smaller,
local event on your own. Make sure you ask those involved
to write letters of recommendation for you to show
your future employers or clients. Take pictures of
all your work, and use them in your portfolio to demonstrate
what you have done, and can do, for your clients'
or potential employers’ events.
5. Find out
who’s hiring: In addition to job advertisements
(found on related job boards and classified ads),
you should also directly contact organizations you
wish to work for. Larger businesses, associations
and not-for-profits, universities and municipalities
all have a need for event planners, as do hotels,
tourism bureaus, casinos, cruise lines, theme parks,
and event planning firms themselves. Be creative in
your job search – the simple question, "Who plans
your meetings and events?" can open doors in the unlikeliest
of places.
6. Interview
success: Prepare for the interview by thoroughly
researching the company. This will help you be prepared
for their questions and to also know what questions
to ask yourself. Have your portfolio and other materials
with you and be prepared to discuss them at length.
Remember that your choice of dress can give you an
opportunity to show that you are both professional
and creative, so put some thought into your appearance.
During the interview, use confidence and enthusiasm
to sell yourself and your talent. Above all, relax
and be yourself!
7. Setting
up your own business: When you think you're
ready, self-employment could be the next exciting
step in an event-planning career. In fact, many people
break into the event-planning field with this goal
in mind. You will want to look into the financial
and legal aspects of the venture, and study the market
and your competition so you are ready for the challenges
that await you. Decide on an image you want to project
to your clients and market yourself accordingly, using
a variety of media.
8. Finding
clients: Your main source of business will
likely fall into one of two categories: corporate
or social. Your local chamber of commerce can be a
great resource to find the contacts in the corporate
world and word-of-mouth is generally your best bet
for social clients. Promoting yourself for free
(through seminars, newspaper columns, etc.) is a cheap
and effective way to let people know who you are and
what you do, and their referrals may lead to even
more work for you.
9. Networking:
You can have the best ideas and be the most creative,
perfect person for the job, but without the right
contacts, you might as well stick to throwing birthday
parties for your family! Plan to attend trade shows,
join clubs and organizations and socialize as much
as possible to meet potential clients and business
contacts. Get comfortable talking about what you do
to everyone you meet, and always hand out your business
cards.
10. Boosting
Your Creativity: The more events you do
for one client or company, the more challenging it
gets to generate fresh ideas. When you need a boost,
turn to TV and movies, retail stores (for materials),
consumer magazines, the Internet, or even a walk in
nature to reawaken your senses and inspire you to
new creative heights. Your suppliers can also be a
source of innovative ideas (that use their products,
of course!) Maintaining your creative edge is essential
to staying on top of your game in this business, so
seek inspiration constantly.
FabJob.com publishes
e-books that can help you break into a "fab" job.
Visit www.fabjob.com
for information.
