What does an event planner do?
Event planners work to ensure events achieve their purpose. They often coordinate every detail of a variety of events such as meetings, conventions, fundraisers, weddings, parties, and charity events. They meet with their clients to discuss the amount of people that will be attending the event and the client’s needs, goals, and desired services. They typically choose the location, decorations, food and beverages, speakers, support services, telecommunications, entertainment, equipment, and other important aspects. They conduct research on all available services and choose the best choice according to their clients’ needs and budget. They discuss all of the details with their clients before moving ahead with their recommendations. Event planners often negotiate contracts and prices and sometimes receive discounts from frequent vendors. On the day of the event, event planners ensure everything is going to plan and making accommodations for any changes.
What kind of training does an event planner need?
Most employees prefer to hire event planners that have at least a bachelor degree. Some event planners gain employment with a high school diploma or associate degree paired with sufficient experience. Many event planners have degrees in public relations, marketing, business, communications, or hospitality management. Most employers provide new employees with on the job training under the supervision of experienced event planners. New event planners typically start by performing small tasks such as proposal requests and discussing the requests with higher level event planners. They also assist in registration, schedules, and contracts.
What are the prospects for a career as an event planner?
Employment of event planners is projected to grow faster than average for all professions, increasing 20% from 2006 to 2016 (1). Population growth and increased demand for successful events will drive job growth.
Job prospects are expected to be good especially for event planners at least a bachelor degree and sufficient experience. Job openings will also arise from the need to replace event planners that retire, transfer, or leave the field for other reasons.
How much do event planners make?
As of October 2009, the middle 50% of event planners earned annual salaries between $46,870 and $65,179. The top 10% earned annual salaries of more than $75,361 (2).
A career as an event planner is a great choice for individuals who have a great deal of creativity and organization and enjoy helping people plan successful events. Event planners must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. They must also be detail-oriented, be able to meet strict deadlines, be able to multi-task, and maintain composure under stressful situations.
