Achieving Your Dream Event Planning Job: A Guide for Beginners

Event planning is undoubtedly one of the most unique and rewarding careers you can choose. You’ll get to meet new people, travel to different locations, and help create unforgettable experiences for others. Even with all the benefits of being an event planner, this career path can be challenging for aspiring professionals.

The industry is extremely competitive and saturated with professionals who have experience in related fields or from a previous job. As a result, landing your dream job might require some additional preparation and research upfront so that you’re well-prepared for what comes next. To get you started on the right track with your career as an event planner, here are some helpful tips to achieve your dream event planning job.

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Research the Event Planning Industry

Before you even start looking for a job, you should get an idea of the industry you’re trying to break into. Event planners organize and execute events, conferences, and seminars by managing budgets, creating schedules, and collaborating with team members and clients. If you want to be a successful event planner, you have to have a basic understanding of what event planning entails. Some topics to research include:

What are the different types of event planners?
What skills do successful event planners have?
What do event planners actually do on the job?
What education and experience level do event planners typically have?
What are typical salary ranges for event planners?

Develop your soft skills

While education, experience, and certifications are important for an event planner, so are your soft skills. What are soft skills? They are attributes like communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills that are essential to almost all industries. To develop these skills, you can: – Join industry associations and attend events with your local chapter in your area. You can gain exposure to like-minded individuals and network with your peers to build long-lasting relationships. – Join online communities where professionals in the event planning industry share their knowledge and insights. You can also find job postings on many of these sites if you’re looking for a new job. – Participate in workshops and seminars offered by your university, community college, or adult education program.

Earn your certification

Although you don’t necessarily need any certifications to be successful in the event planning industry, many employers will look for them. To get your foot in the door, you may want to pursue an event planning certification. Once you have your certification, you can include it in your resume and cover letter to showcase your skills and stand out from other applicants. You can also use it to create your own personal website or online portfolio to show prospective employers your skills.

Network with professionals in the industry

Another way to build your soft skills is to network with marketing professionals in the industry. You can attend conferences, seminars, and events. Whilst there, you can network with event planning professionals and get your name out there. You can also use online networking sites, like LinkedIn, to connect with other event planners.

You can also network with your peers by joining university clubs or marketing industry organizations related to event planning. You can also get involved with volunteer events where you may have the opportunity to network with industry professionals.

Build your portfolio

If you’re a new graduate or have been in the workforce for a few years without any experience in event planning, start building your portfolio now. This is your chance to showcase your skills and ideas and prove that you have what it takes to succeed in the industry.

You can start building your portfolio by creating your own blog where you can share your ideas and write about topics related to event planning. You can also create a website or start a podcast to showcase your ideas. You can also create your own website where you can list your qualifications and skills.

Showcase your skills through volunteering and interning

As you network with professionals in the industry, look for opportunities to get involved in your community through volunteering or interning. You can get your foot in the door at local event planning companies through volunteer opportunities or through an internship program offered by your university.

You can build valuable skills and gain practical experience that you can use in your portfolio. You can also get references from the event planners you work with. These references can be included in your resume or portfolio to show that you can work well under pressure and manage different events.

Conclusion

As you can see, achieving your dream job as an event planner can be challenging. However, it’s also an incredibly rewarding career that can offer you a variety of benefits, including flexible hours, travel opportunities, and the chance to meet new people and make lasting connections.

When you’re ready to pursue a job as an event planner, make sure you research the industry and learn about the different types of event planners. You also want to build your soft skills through workshops, seminars, and volunteering to gain hands-on experience. Finally, you can showcase your skills and build your portfolio through blogging and creating your own website.