What do Event Planners do?

An Event Planner would typically need to:

• Planned and organised events ranging from basic office meetings to large international conferences; managed all components optimally, from budgeting to event promotion, to fulfil the needs of customers and audiences.
• Meet with event stakeholders to understand their needs and the event’s purpose and objectives; keep clients informed regularly.
• Discuss with clients and determine important elements such as the event’s scope, date, time, duration, location, and budget.
• Generate and offer innovative and creative concepts by the client’s vision and needs.
• Investigate and solicit bids from prospective venues, suppliers, and contractors; develop complete proposals that include schedules, legal duties, budget, travel, catering, and personnel.
• After negotiating rates and contracts, choose and hire venues and vendors, collaborate with vendors and suppliers and coordinate their payments.
• Coordination of event logistics and services, including hotel, transportation, and the technology and equipment required to run the event
• Complete pre-event work, such as finalising guest speakers and creating delegate handouts.
• Plan parking and traffic control, security and first-aid procedures, and media.
• Follow budgetary, insurance, legal, and health and safety guidelines.
• Before, during, and after the event, manage a staff team and brief them on their tasks and responsibilities.
• Liaise with sales and marketing to promote and publicise the event.
• Ensure the event runs smoothly by arranging suppliers, managing client or visitor inquiries, and troubleshooting as needed on the event day.
• Use backup plans only when necessary.
• Manage post-event chores such as dismantling and removing all equipment to empty and clean the site and settling accounts with suppliers.
• Create a post-event review and document the findings to help with future event preparation.
• Participating in neighbourhood gatherings might help you find clients and event planning prospects.
• Keep current with the most recent event planning technology, software, and tools.

Standard Work Environment

Event planners generally spend a significant amount of time at the office. You may need to travel frequently to investigate sites, hold meetings on-site, and attend events that they have scheduled. You may also need to travel to see clients, partners, sponsors, and other vendors. You may also be required to work outside to design open-air events such as concerts and festivals.

Work Schedule

Typically, you will need to work conventional office hours while starting a new project in event management. However, as the event approaches, you may need extra hours, including evenings and weekends, when the event is scheduled.
Most Event Planners work full-time; some work more than 40 hours weekly. You could also choose to work part-time or freelance.

Employers

Finding a new job may appear difficult. Asking their network for referrals, contacting firms directly, using job search sites, attending job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies can all help Event Planners improve their job hunt.

Event Planners are generally employed by:

• Event Management Consultancies
• Event Venues
• Hotels & Resorts
• Public Attractions
• Public Relations (PR) Agencies
• Conference & Exhibition Centres
• Religious Organisations
• Grantmaking Bodies
• Civic & Professional Organisations
• Administrative & Support Services
• Accommodation & Food Services
• Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
• Music, Literary and Theatre Festivals
• Charities
• Local Authorities
• Music, Literary & Theatre Festivals
• Large Commercial Organisations
• Educational Institutions

Unions / Professional Organizations

Professional organisations and groups, such as Meeting Planners International (MPI), are essential for Event Planners who want to further their professional development or interact with other professionals in their industry or trade. Membership in one or more of these organisations adds value to your CV while strengthening your credentials and qualifications.

Workplace Challenges

• Meeting the demands of the job and keeping up with the fast pace of work
• Coordinating multiple meetings or events at the same time or tackling diverse aspects and tight deadlines for a single event simultaneously
• Long and unsocial working hours
• Extended phone and screen time
• Disappointment and inconvenience due to last-moment event cancellations

Suggested Work Experience

Any academic programme that a prospective Event Planner pursues usually includes a term of supervised experience, such as an internship. If permitted by your university, an optional year in the industry allows you to gain relevant experience and create a network.

When your tasks outside of the classroom precisely align with your teachings inside, you will get the most out of them. When more experienced workers turn seemingly ordinary occurrences into unique learning experiences, you may hear endless stories from them and gain significant hands-on knowledge.

Because event management is a competitive sector, begin early to gather relevant experience, whether paid or unpaid, to gain an advantage in the job market. Candidates must have prior experience designing and hosting diverse and successful events. You can organise or manage activities at the university for a student society or other organisations, charities, and clubs with which you are affiliated.

It is beneficial to gain experience working in diverse capacities at hospitality facilities such as hotels and convention centres. Potential employers may consider past expertise in comparable disciplines such as sales, marketing, customer service, or public relations for entry-level roles.

Experience in project management and budgeting may help you stand out in this profession. Furthermore, if the position you apply for needs it, you may be required to demonstrate expertise in organising online events and a working knowledge of applicable software programmes.

To demonstrate your devotion to course providers and future employers, read about the profession and interview or job shadow professionals in event management.

Recommended Qualifications

An Event Planner often holds a bachelor’s or associate degree or an HND (Higher National Diploma) in hospitality administration, hotel or catering management, or leisure and tourism. You could also major in business, marketing, public relations, communications, or social science. Some colleges may also offer specific event management programmes.

Event planners with a background in event or hospitality management may start with more responsibility than those with a background in other academic fields.
Employers prioritise abilities, personal traits, and relevant experience, sometimes above and beyond academic credentials.

Certifications, Licenses and Registration

An Event Planner’s proficiency in a skill set is demonstrated through job experience, training, and passing a test. It can help you stand out in a competitive employment market, carry a large salary premium of up to 18%, boost your prospects of progression, and allow you to become an independent consultant if obtained from an objective and reputable company.

Successful certification programmes defend public welfare by including a Code of Ethics.

Voluntary certificates might assist you in becoming a successful Event Planner by demonstrating specialised knowledge or professional skill. You can become a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), Certified Meetings Professional (CMP), Certified Association Executive (CAE), Certified Conference and Events Professional (CCEP), Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME), Certified Exhibition Management (CEM), Certified Venues Executive (CVE), Certified Exhibition Management (CEM), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), or Destination Management Certified Professional (DMCP).

Individual government agencies handle the licencing process. It usually necessitates passing an exam and meeting eligibility requirements such as a certain degree of education, job experience, training, or completion of an internship, residency, or apprenticeship.

Projected Career Map

Career advancement is driven by performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional certifications. Promotion in the competitive world of event management is also determined by the sort and size of the organisation you work for, the skills and attributes required and how quickly you develop them, your network of contacts, and your track record of success. Employees who continuously demonstrate high performance levels may be eligible for promotion every two to three years.

Typically, newly hired Event Planners work their way up through entry-level jobs before taking on the task of managing client events. With your experience and track record, you may be in charge of large-scale events, which are difficult to manage because they involve high-profile clientele and higher costs.

One career path may take you from Conference Coordinator to Programme Coordinator, then to Meeting Manager. Another route may involve advancement from an assistant position to Team Leader and managerial positions such as Event Manager, Manager, Senior Manager, and Director.

With enough experience and a strong network, you can freelance or start your own event management company. You can collaborate with event management businesses, hotels and recreational facilities, conference and exhibition sites, or charitable organisations. You might also host internal events for huge corporations, institutions, or local governments. To achieve your aim of career advancement, you may need to change employment, relocate to a larger company, or become a consultant.

Job Prospects

Candidates with the required abilities, experience, and education have the highest job chances. Knowledge of the hospitality business or similar fields and a working knowledge of applicable software will give you a competitive advantage in the market.

Beneficial Professional Development

CPD will assist an active Event Planner develop personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It enables you to always improve your skills regardless of age, employment, or degree of expertise.
Some universities offer continuing education (CE) meeting and event planning courses.

As a freshly hired Event Planner, you will often need to learn on the job while working under the supervision of more experienced colleagues. Your firm may allow you to take in-house or external short courses in conference and event planning, customer service, event marketing and copywriting, finance, health and safety, IT, project management, risk assessment, and sales and sponsorship.

Conclusion of Event Planner

Event planners are accountable for the success of the event they plan. The experience of the audience or attendance is merely the tip of the iceberg. Massive planning and organisation must precede the event, followed by flawless execution. For Event Planners, no detail is too tiny because it could significantly influence the event’s success.

Advice from the Wise

Develop superior organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure setting with strict deadlines. To produce a fascinating and successful event, be inventive in problem-solving and pay close attention to detail. You can be the most sought-after Event Planner in the market if you have a strong client focus, good negotiation abilities in sales and marketing, budget awareness, administrative and IT skills, and collaboration.

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