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We all love things to go exactly as planned, but it doesn’t always work out that way. You may not be able to control everything in event management, but you can control how people (hiring companies and prospective customers) view you as an event manager. You can make sure you stand out and give yourself the best possible chance to get any job in this industry.
Event management is a fast-growing industry with high earning potential that requires your coordination, creativity, leadership and budgeting skills. These are sought-after skills that you can use to sell yourself to an event agency to land a job. Whether you’re working in this industry as an individual or with a large corporation, you need to be able to prove your skill and show an adaptable and detailed personality. This article looks at how you can land a job in an event agency with ease.
Get the right education.
Consider getting educated in event planning or similar fields. You may need to get several degrees to teach all the skills necessary for successful event planning. Some relevant degrees are:
- Hotel and restaurant management: this allows you to learn aspects of large-scale events, introduction to catering, and guest management best practices.
- Marketing: this allows you to learn the promotional side of the business, how to attract guests, and maintain a consistent message.
- Public relations: this is about liaisons between the organization and the public. This means you’ll be involved in developing the event, marketing, and ensuring great public awareness.
Earning a degree makes you more marketable to any event agency and proves you have important skills.
Get professional certifications
In addition to degrees, you should try to get other professional certificates. You can do this on your campus if they offer such an opportunity, or you can do it at other organizations:
- Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) – created by the Convention Industry Council (CIC).
- Certified in Exhibition Management – by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).
- Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) – by the International Live Events Association (ILEA).
Find your niche
To find your niche in this industry is to determine where you want to specialize in event planning. Event planning is diverse and features events, from stockholders’ retreats to children’s birthday parties and fundraisers. Choose a niche in any of these events and build your name in it. However, it’s also important to be flexible in this career. You can work with clients from another niche, especially since you’re just starting. So, while you’re building yourself in your interest, strengths, and niche, you should also try to develop in other areas.
Having a niche makes you more marketable because your proven passion and interest in a specific type of event make you more attractive to organizations and event agencies looking for people to handle such events.
There are several online groups that you can join to find both seasoned and aspiring event planners. This allows you to engage with experienced planners and gain from them. Since many online events are being planned, it’s easy to find a successful and active online network that makes you more attractive to employers looking for people with digital expertise.
Attend local events
Several local events, whether corporate events or fundraisers, offer the opportunity to observe the event and learn more about event planning. Attending these events as a guest allows you to view them from a different perspective, considering the guest experience and logistics of the event. So, attending other people’s functions and taking note of the structures, how they use the space, the resources and vendors the planner used. You may also get the chance to meet the event planner and introduce yourself to them. This way, you would be building networks and increasing your industry contacts.
Get a mentor
Getting a mentor is a move that almost guarantees that you’ll be successful in this industry. Mentors are usually more experienced people that can guide your aspirations and help you make the most of your career. So, while you’re networking, researching, and attending local functions, you should also look out for other event planners with the abilities and qualifications you love. You can then approach them and ask them to be your mentor in this profession. When you find a mentor, make sure you respect their time and take to their advice and experience. This will help you avoid mistakes they made earlier in their career. They may also have connections and access to resources that you may need.
Conclusion
Getting a job in an event agency isn’t very difficult. You only need to learn to position yourself in a place and manner in which you’re very visible.
Author Bio:
Caroline Terrill is a freelance essay writer and contributor at resumes planet. She’s an easy-going person who’s only interested in writing, reading, and music. She has authored several books.