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Should I Become an Event Planner?
Certified event planners are responsible for coordinating and managing all aspects of an event. They come from many different workforce and educational backgrounds, but they’re typically bachelor’s degree holders. Many planners start out in another job, such as a catering coordinator position. With appropriate education and experience, planners may go on to host larger events, such as conventions and corporate meetings. Long hours, including weekends, are often required. Event planners may face regular stress due to event deadlines.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the median annual salary for meeting, convention and event planners was $49,370 in May 2018.
Event Planner Career Requirements
Degree Level Bachelor’s degree
Degree Field Hospitality management, marketing, public relations, communications, or business
Certification Voluntary certification available
Experience 1-2 years of experience may be required without a degree
Key Skills Communication, customer service, organization, interpersonal, negotiation, and problem-solving skills; advanced skill with online social media; basic computer skills and use of project management software; comfortable with video conferencing equipment; ability to keep composed under pressure
Median Salary (2019)* $50,600 (for meeting, convention, and event planners)
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics*, O*NET OnLine.
Event Planning Education Requirements
To become a certified event planner, you should obtain a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, marketing, public relations, communications or business. Without a degree, you’ll likely need 1-2 years of experience in the field. You’ll also need communication, customer service, interpersonal, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. You’ll want to be organized, have advanced online social media skills, basic computer skills with project management software, and be comfortable with using video conferencing equipment. You also need the ability to remain composed under pressure.
Becoming an Event Planner
Let’s go over the steps you’ll need to take to become a certified event planner.
Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Most employers require event planners to have a bachelor’s degree. Event planners may come from a variety of educational backgrounds such as hospitality management, marketing, or public relations. Relevant coursework includes accounting, hospitality management, and meeting management. Some schools offer programs of study specific to event and meeting planning. Students in these programs might study event promotion, computer skills for business, and event design.
Complete an internship. Some programs may require students to complete internships. Internships help you gain hands-on experience in the field and acquire a greater understanding of the event planning process.
Step 2: Gain Planning Experience
Many event planners start out as party planners, planning smaller events such as meetings and forums, for small organizations. Administrative assistants, for example, may assume meeting planning responsibilities in addition to their normal duties. You also may enter the field in related occupations, such as catering coordinator positions, to build experience and advance to a planner role. These positions will provide experience in all the stages in planning for an event and allow for experience in the time management required in this field. As these events are often planned months in advance and have very specific stages in the hiring of caters, equipment, decorations, guests, and more, this practice will be vital in preparing a future as an event planner.
During this period it is important to gain experience in the field as a party planner. If you aren’t sure where to start – start small! Organize birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, holiday-themed events, events for schools or churches, or any other small scale event where you can begin to develop planning experience. These small scale events will be much less stressful and any mistakes made in one’s early days of party planning will be excellent learning opportunities. Furthermore, the hosts of these events will likely be grateful for the help and recommendations and will likely not be upset if things do not run perfectly. As your level of experience grows, so will your confidence! This will help you in the future as small mistakes will seem much less catastrophic after experiencing them already, and you will likely already be prepared.
Become familiar with common computer programs. Event planners must have skill with multitasking and organizing large amounts of information and tasks. Project management software, as well as spreadsheet and database software, may be helpful in keeping you organized and on track with planning duties. By staying on schedule and being able to visualize all the required stages, you will be sure to not forget anything, and be able to deal with hiccups quickly and efficiently as they arise.
Join a professional organization. If you wish to advance in the field of event planning, joining a professional organization, such as Meeting Professionals International (MPI), may be beneficial. Members of these organizations may find advantages such as networking opportunities, job search resources, and webinars. These organizations will allow you to expand your clientele, learn tricks of the trade, show off your work, and find new opportunities to grow your business.
Step 3: Obtain Event Planning Certification
Event planning certification designations may help you stand out to potential employers. The content in certification exams can vary according to event planning areas. One option is the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation exam. The CMP credential is available to convention, meeting, and exhibition event planners. Prior to taking the certification exam, you must prove eligibility; three years of experience and recent employment in the field are necessary, and one must continue earning education credits.
Another certification that you may earn is the Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) designation. You must qualify with experience and membership in the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP). Completion of a 3-day course and certification exam is also required.
Step 4: Specialize
According to the BLS, there are many different types of event planners. Association planners organize annual conferences and other voluntary meetings. Corporate planners focus on meetings within a corporation or with a related business. Government meeting planners need to be familiar with government regulations for buying materials and booking hotels to plan accordingly, while non-profit planners focus heavily on fundraising.
Event planners and party planners organize private and public events like weddings. Convention service managers act as liaisons between companies and venues such as hotels to make sure all the details are managed. Finding your niche and networking accordingly can help ensure professional prospects for the future.
Developing a Portfolio
Events
One of the most important tools in your career will be developing a portfolio! This portfolio will act as a record for all of your best work This will entice new clients to book you as they will be able to see evidence of the best work you can do. By keeping photos, testimonials, brochures, news stories, social medial posts, and more, you will be able to demonstrate your skills and charge according to your talents and recorded experience. Most customers will be hesitant to book you as an event planner without proof and examples of what exactly it is that you will be able to accomplish for them.
Challenges
As you develop your portfolio it is important that you don’t gloss over any challenges that you have faced in the past. If you pretend that you have never encountered any problems during your career, a customer may fear that you will not know what to do in the face of a problem arising. Instead, let your customers know about when things had gone wrong, and the steps that you took to fix the problem so that things went off without a hitch! By explaining how you have worked around deadlines, budgets, and creative constraints, you will be able to demonstrate and highlight your abilities.
To become a certified event planner, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree or acquire the appropriate amount of experience and then complete certification.
Expert Contributor: Mark Mangum Mark has an MDiv and MBA in Leadership. He has several years’ experience in service and operations management in the hospitality industry.
 
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