8.8 Careers in Event Management

Jobs and Roles

Entry-level positions are available in most event sectors. These jobs require little or no experience or education. They often have lower pay and fewer responsibilities. They provide a great opportunity for anyone wanting to learn more about event management. These roles are typically identified by titles such as event assistant or production assistant. They are usually only available with large event teams, which have the volume and flexibility to train new staff.

Mid-level roles require either 3 to 7 years of event planning experience or some level of post-secondary education in business, hospitality, or marketing. These roles pay more than entry-level positions and come with more responsibilities. These roles are often managerial, including titles such as event manager, meeting planner, or production manager. Employees in these roles often lead staff and handle the day-to-day logistics of event planning and execution.

Senior-level roles require college degrees in hospitality or business. These employees usually hold event management licenses, may have graduate degrees such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and typically have over 7 years of event management experience. These roles include director of events, hospitality director, or executive producer. These roles earn higher salaries, often grossing more than $100,000 a year. They also have a higher level of responsibility. Key components of these roles include client acquisition, brand marketing, and strategic planning.

In addition, many event jobs are tangential to the actual planning of an event, including event décor and design as well as stage styling. Other jobs include audiovisual production or event technology. Some jobs focus solely on guest management, such as event marketers, sponsorship and partnership managers, and membership specialists.

Career Pathways

Individuals wishing to create a career pathway in event management can do so with a combination of experience, education, and certification. There is no mandatory education or certification to work in this industry. Individuals with no experience or education can work their way up the ladder by starting at an entry-level position and gaining skills and a solid reputation as they work. The increase in on-the-job skills training and a solid reputation for being a team player, hard work, and achieving client KPIs consistently will create opportunities for advancement. A non-educational tract, however, takes time. Individuals who select this route should anticipate approximately 5 years in each role before moving upwards. Individuals looking for quicker career advancement should consider education and certification. A community college or university degree in hospitality is advisable. Some programs offer degrees specific to event management, but degrees in tourism, culinary arts, and hotel management each provide the foundation of knowledge necessary to be successful in events. Once a degree is obtained, it is advisable to continue the education track by obtaining certifications.

Certifications

Certifications in event management are administered by associations. Certifications can be professional licenses or endorsements for specialized topics. The most common professional license for meeting planners is the Certified Meeting Planner designation, or CMP, administered by the Events Industry Council, established in 1985. The Council promotes the industry and creates uniform standards for certification. “According to a recent industry report conducted by PCMA [Professional Convention Management Association], meeting planners who hold the CMP earn (on average) $10,756 more annually than their non-certified counterparts” (Events Industry Council, n.d., para. 4). To obtain a CMP a candidate must have 26 months of full-time experience or have a degree in hospitality with 24 months of experience and 25 hours of continual education. Once they have met the experience and education minimum, candidates may sit for the examination.

Those who pass the exam receive a license that remains valid for five years. Expired license holders must complete continuing education hours to reapply. Additional associations also have license requirements. Most associations also have specialty certificates for targeted skill sets or subsectors of the industry. There are certifications specific to wedding planners or event marketers, for example. Individuals seeking specific skills may enroll in non-credit certification courses in accessibility, data management, social media marketing, sustainability, or AI, just to name a few. Whether a planner chooses to advance through experience or shortcut through an education route, continuing education and certification will help build their skill set and advance their careers in the industry. The event industry is continuously evolving, and to stay current, all employees must engage in continuing education.

Important Skill-Based Knowledge

A career in event management can be fun and rewarding. But it isn’t for everyone. Individuals who are successful in this field of hospitality need a special set of professional and interpersonal skills. The most successful candidates have a strong working knowledge of the entirety of the hospitality industry. Event planners must schedule hotel rooms, venue space, catering, AV, furniture rental, décor, lighting, and much more. This means that planners need to know how each of these supply sectors works in order to navigate to the best of their abilities. A planner must know how catering works, for instance, to know if the requests that they are making of a provider are even possible, let alone within budget. The more a planner knows about vendor roles, the smoother the planning and contracting process is for everyone. Event planners should also have strong budgeting and financial planning skills. Even in larger firms where someone else is handling the finances, it is ultimately the responsibility of the event manager to stay on budget. Event personnel should also have effective risk management and contract negotiation skills, as well as understand marketing and sales. The more diverse the set of professional skills an event manager has, the more successful they will be and the faster they will advance their career.

Important Interpersonal Skills

Learned professional skills will only carry an employee so far. They must also have strong interpersonal skills and certain personality traits. The best planners are highly organized, multitask well, and can easily handle completing tight deadlines. These people are also excellent communicators. They have advanced oral and written communication skills and can adjust their communication style quickly to any situation. Good employees also work efficiently alone as well as effectively in a group. They understand the art of hospitality and genuinely want to help people and produce top-tier experiences. For candidates who possess these traits and have a desire to learn technical skills, they will find support in one of the many industry-specific associations.

Professional Associations

Many professional associations exist within the event planning industry. Professional associations enable members to develop professional networks, learn new skills, obtain certifications, and gain a lobbying voice. Specific associations exist for particular event planning sectors, such as for wedding planners, conference planners, association planners, and government planners, just to name a few. Some of the most common associations focus on broader audiences. Meeting Planners International, MPI, is the largest event management association in the world. They offer a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification program as well as certificates in AI, marketing, and contracting, among other fields. The Events Industry Council has over 100,000 members and is open to all types of meeting professionals. Another common association is the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE), which focuses on food, catering, and catering services for events, but remains open to all sectors of the event management industry. For those looking for more international-based experiences, the International Live Events Association (ILEA) provides a strong place to start. Like MPI or EIC they have a broad event focus and are open to almost everyone. Another important international association is the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), which was founded in 1928, making it one of the oldest associations. Lastly, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) remains open to all event professionals. Each of these organizations offer professional networking opportunities, workshops, continuing education hours, certifications, and job boards. They require active work in the industry and charge annual dues. Participation in associations serves as a key component of a successful career in event management.

Attributions

1. Figure 8.13: NTU Graduation Week 2013, by Nottingham Trent University, is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.