Ever since US World News & Report updated their annual listings and said that being an Event Planner was their highest ranking business job, we have received many emails from students asking for the best steps to getting into the planning business. It’s trickier than most professions because most universities do not have an “event planning” or “wedding planning” degree.
So we put together a short guide with steps you can take to get into this coveted profession. This website also has tons of great information on the subject.
One of the many reasons event planning was ranked #1 is due to the projected job growth in the industry. As the economy starts to turn around, more companies will be in need of corporate event planners to plan their corporate events, meetings and retreats. In addition to large companies needing new event planners to handle their corporate events, more individuals will be looking for event planners to help plan their large events such as weddings, anniversaries, and family reunions.
What Type of Education Do You Need?
One of the best parts of becoming an event planner is that it does not require a bunch of college degrees. If you are looking to become a corporate event planner and work at a large company, you will benefit from having a general college degree that shows you can think independently and show initiative. Focusing your studies on business orhospitality management will help you eventually land a job in the corporate world as an event planner.
If you would like to start your own event planning business, it is not necessary to have a college degree. While understanding the finer points of running a business will certainly help your event planning business in the long run, ultimately real world experience is what counts the most. Being able to demonstrate to potential clients that you are able to handle their demands and plan the perfect event for them will go a lot further than showing them a piece of paper on your wall.
What Type of Jobs are Available?
There are two main job types available in the event planning industry: corporate event planner and self-employed event planner. When working as a corporate event planner, you will spend the majority of your time planning large corporate events such as company retreats, tradeshows, and business meetings. While this type of position may limit your ability to be creative as an event planner, it is accompanied by an attractive salary and job security.
The other type of event planning position is a self-employed event planner. Working as this type of event planner allows you to plan any type of event that you would like. As a self-employed event planner, you are able to plan weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other large parties. You can even attempt to sign a few businesses on as clients and plan their corporate events as well. For someone looking to have the largest range of event planning responsibilities, starting your own event planning business is the way to go.
Whether you are still deciding what you want to do with your life or are looking for a career change, event planning is a wonderful industry to explore. A combination of a college degree and real world experience will help you land a position at a company as an event planner or gain your own clients as you form your own event planning business.