Event Planning Career

An event planning career is something that is relatively new, being recognized as a management profession just a little over a decade ago. An event planner can also be called a conference coordinator, a convention planner, a special event coordinator or a meeting manager. As corporations have grown and expanded worldwide, the logistics of company meetings have become much more complicated. People must now train for an event planning career in order to efficiently handle all of the tasks involved in such an undertaking. This is a complex service that requires professionalism.

If you are interested in an event planning career, you must be prepared to learn an assortment of duties. The event planner must choose a suitable site for the event. He or she must make travel, accommodation and food arrangements. There will be registrations to oversee and programs to be planned. Preparation for an event planning career will train you to negotiate, plan and coordinate conventions from the municipal level to the international level. You might have to organize a small inner-company meeting, or you might have to organize a convention involving thousands of people from all around the world.

Some event planners are freelancers who are hired by corporations and organizations to arrange big events. They might even hire out their services for things like family reunions, weddings, school reunions or birthday parties. Many large corporations have event planners permanently on staff. Some people who have chosen an event planning career work for hotels or large centers where conventions are held.

Young people interested in an event planning career are advised to take business courses. At the very least a Bachelor’s degree is required. Some professional associations for people in event planning careers offer certification programs. You are also going to need very good English and communications skills. Learning a foreign language will also be very beneficial. You will need strong management skills, and you will need leadership qualities. Successful people in this field have good marketing and sales skills and are very strong in public relations. This is one area where it certainly pays to be a “people” person. In an event planning career you will be working at times with hundreds of people doing a great variety of tasks, and that means the possibilities of problems arising are infinite. You will have to be a trouble shooter who can think fast and find solutions. You will work mostly indoors, but unless you are employed by a hotel or some other center where conventions are held, you will likely have to travel. You might find that you want to specialize in either event planning or event coordinating. Event planning is a growth industry. It is also one in which women have been very successful.