Building a successful career in event management requires more than knowing how to throw a party or having great organizational skills.
Sure, it's possible to learn on the job, but you don't know what you don't know, and lacking the proper education may cost you interesting career opportunities.
The event management industry is diverse, with numerous possible roles and varying requirements for each one.
Follow along as we define the responsibilities of an event manager, outline the steps to become one, and explore the career prospects that event management has to offer.
What is Events Management
Event management consists of the planning, organizing, marketing, executing, problem-solving, and analyzing of all types of events. It includes securing a venue, negotiating with all stakeholders, budgeting, staff coordination, and much more.
Some event managers specialize in specific niches such as birthday parties, weddings, charity events, corporate events, award ceremonies, reunions, arts and cultural events, political events, virtual events, religious events, or other large social events, while others manage events within a single company or institution.
What Does an Event Manager Do
The responsibilities of an event manager are multi-fold. They can include, but aren't limited to:
- Defining the target group of the event
- Developing the event concept
- Deciding on the strategy for organizing the event
- Budgeting and cost calculation
- Choosing and securing the event space
- Marketing
- Sales
- Coordinating with service providers
- Communicating with stakeholders (venue managers, clients, catering, …)
- Hiring, managing, and deploying personnel
- Evaluating what worked and what didn't once the event is over
Should You Consider a Career in Event Management?
An event planning career is ideal for someone who considers themselves a disciplined self-starter. Event planners need to take charge and demonstrate follow-through to pull events together on a sometimes (very) tight timeline. Planners may be working on multiple events at once or spending a whole year planning for an annual event.
Being able to motivate yourself and stay on track is crucial.
Good event planners are also detail-oriented, organized people. Successful event professionals anticipate the unexpected because they know from experience that there will be at least one surprise on the day of the event.
Whatever the particular client or company you are working for, today's clients are expecting absolute perfection in the organization and implementation of their party. This can lead to high levels of stress, so you must be able to work well under pressure to thrive in the event planning industry.
You likely also won't have a stable schedule as the run-up to an event tends to be more demanding, and you may be required to work nights and weekends.
How to Become an Event Manager
While you don't necessarily need a formal education to get a job in the events industry, you'll likely need to settle for entry-level jobs or realize that you lack some skills to do your job as effectively and efficiently as possible.
The best way to become an event manager is by combining relevant formal training with hands-on experience. This will help you develop the necessary event manager skills, which you can then showcase when networking and by publicly documenting your journey (for example, on social media or a personal website).
Let's have a closer look at all of these steps.
Get the Right Education
Having the right degree can give you a competitive edge when you start applying for event planning jobs. But it's not just about the piece of paper. An educational program that targets event management
- Helps you develop the skills needed to thrive in the industry
- Offers networking opportunities
- Allows you to learn from those with real-world experience
- Provides possibilities to gain practical experience through internships, volunteering, or paid work
Look for a program that focuses specifically on event management, like a Bachelor's in Event Management, or opt for a program that has event management as part of the curriculum.
While the exact course names will be different from institution to institution, here are a few topics to look out for:
- Marketing and PR
- Financial management and accounting
- Leadership management
- Food and beverage management
- Legal aspects of events, including contracts and insurance
- Facilities management
- Technology, from lighting and sound tech to event planning software
- Staging and decoration
- Exhibit management and marketing
- Program planning
- Evaluation and risk assessment
Gain the Necessary Skills
As mentioned, the right education will set you up with the necessary skills to succeed in event planning. On top of that, you can also work on these skills in your spare time and reflect on how the program you're considering can help you develop the following hard and soft skills.
- Organizational skills: Knowing how to manage the logistics of planning and staging events, time management, being highly organized, and knowing how to stay on top of multiple tasks.
- Creative skills: Knowing how to create unique events.
- People skills: Knowing how to communicate effectively, being good at negotiating, knowing how to motivate a team and keep all stakeholders informed, and so on.
- Budgeting skills: Forecasting, budget setting, cost tracking, accounting, or being able to work smoothly with an accountant.
- Event marketing skills: Social media marketing, PR, direct marketing, and any other form of marketing that effectively helps get the word out about your event.
- Customer service skills: Handling difficult clients, tackling client requests, having strong cultural intelligence, …
- Problem-solving skills: Being able to find efficient and/or creative solutions to problems as needed, and to handle unexpected challenges swiftly and effectively.
Develop Relevant Experience and Knowledge
If you want to be successful in landing a dream job in events management, you'll need to demonstrate some experience in the field. To do this, you can:
- Look for an internship or apprenticeship in your desired role.
- Apply for a relevant job at a hotel or venue that regularly hosts events.
- Volunteer at national or local events, sports clubs, or schools.
- Join a university college committee if you're simultaneously getting a degree in event management.
- Get a job with a tour operator, as organizing tours and dealing with groups of travelers has a lot in common with organizing events.
When applying for a position, whether it be a paid one, a volunteer position, or an internship, keep in mind the type of events you'd like to organize. It'll give you a head start if you have experience in the field of your choice.
Alternatively, volunteer for different roles so you can get a taste of what's out there and make a more informed decision about the direction you want to head in.
Trying on different roles will also help you understand what they entail and, as a consequence, will make it easier to manage people in those roles later on.
You can even start organizing your own events. This will force you to take on each job, from the planning stage to the promotion and execution stage.
As you gain experience, also study the field:
- Who are the key players?
- What industry trends do you spot?
- What problems seem to be recurring?
- Is there a shortage of people, or are people fighting for the few available jobs there are?
You can gain this knowledge by talking to people, but also by following the news, industry blogs, and relevant forums.
Build Your Network
In the events industry, just like in most other industries, who you know can make a big difference in the types of jobs you can get. The people you work with as a volunteer or intern might be the same people who will later think of you when they're looking for a new hire or know of someone who is.
You can also build your network by attending networking events, trade shows, local business meetups, etc. And when you study at EHL, the connections you make with teachers and fellow students offer a strong foundation for your start as an event manager.
Another tip for building relationships is to join online communities of event planners, where you can share tips and ideas, as well as places where potential clients hang out. The latter are great for showcasing your expertise by freely answering people's questions. If you keep showing up, that'll build trust and authority, and people will be more likely to hire you or refer to you.
Document Your Journey Online
This isn't for everybody, but documenting your journey on social media can be a good way to get known beyond your existing circles. Instead of positioning yourself as an expert, you can let people follow along as you learn the ropes and gain experience.
3 Types of Careers in Event Management
Within the event planning industry, there are different types of event planners or managers. Some event professionals choose to specialize in a certain type of event, while others focus on offering a specific type of event services.
1. Event Planners
Event planners are responsible for the strategic, creative, and logistical planning of an event. In theory, event planners plan the event before it takes place, while an event manager or event coordinator makes sure everything runs smoothly as the event takes place. In reality, both roles are often fulfilled by the same person, or there is at least some overlap in duties.
A few examples of specialized event planners are:
- Fundraising event planners
- Non-profit event planners
- Wedding planners
- Corporate event planners
2. Catering Managers
Catering managers plan, organize, and provide catering for all types of events. This includes deciding on the menu together with the client, managing the budget, and managing the staff in charge of preparing, setting up, and/or serving the food, as well as making sure that everything is cleaned up afterward.
3. Event Space or Venue Managers
Venue managers oversee the daily operations of event spaces. This includes managing staff, dealing with vendors, making sure the space is fully operational, and coordinating with, or sometimes also taking on, accounting.
Aside from the above, there are many other careers one can have in the event planning industry by niching down or specializing one's skillset. Marketers, for example, can specialize in event marketing, cooks can train their team in cooking for big groups, and even developers can focus on ticketing systems and online event platforms.
There are many different ways to forge a career path in event planning, and developing your event planning skills is never a waste, as these skills are transferable to other jobs and industries.
Job Outlook for Event Planners
Events management is a growing business, and it shows no sign of slowing down. The Events Management Industry is expected to reach USD 2.5 trillion by 2035, according to Allied Market Research.
For the tourism sector, events have become a significant component for destination promotion, especially due to increasing competition between destinations. These events are typically gatherings for people with a common appreciation of some form of the 'arts', sport, or supporting a common cause, i.e., festivals, concerts, sporting events, and social or charitable events.
What is referred to by some scholars as “Event Tourism” is projected to grow to over USD 2,500 billion by 2032. This doesn't just include B2C events but also corporate events such as exhibitions, conventions, and seminars.
Lastly, there has also been a rise in the popularity of destination weddings and celebratory events like anniversaries.
Event planners and managers have a wide variety of niches to choose from, each with their own challenges and perks.
Event Manager salary
Remuneration is important when choosing your future career. So, how much does an Event Manager make? According to job site Indeed, a typical Event Manager's salary in the US is around USD 66k per year, whereas in Singapore, they earn around USD 57k. In Switzerland, Event Managers take home USD 99.7k per year, but in the Netherlands, the average sits only around USD 46.3k.
Note that these are just averages and how much you make depends on a lot of factors. For example, whether you work for an agency, are freelance, or work for a hospitality company, how big the company and events are, and your seniority level, as well as past experiences.
Event Management: a Rewarding Career Path
Getting a career in event management means that no two days will be the same, and you'll need an array of skills that will serve you both professionally and in your personal life.
The right education will help you develop these skills and offer you the opportunity to build your network, while volunteering or gaining practical experience in another way gives you a taste of the many types of jobs event planning has to offer.
