An event planner helps take care of all the details.
To an outsider, event planning may seem like a fun, social career path, but upon closer inspection, it is a difficult job that requires a lot of skills. Event planning is not about planning parties. It is about details, vision, organization and the means to pull off both big and small events without a hitch. Event planners can work on a freelance basis or for an event planning company, which is popular in wedding planning. In addition, many nonprofit organizations and for-profit corporations hire event planners as part of their staffs.
Conference and Convention Planning
Businesses may hire an event planner to coordinate corporate meetings and conventions. These are usually large-scale events that require the event planner to arrange meals, travel, hotel accommodations and activities for the attendees. He will also arrange multimedia equipment and room setup and sometimes help put together handouts for attendees. This must all be done within a specified budget.
Fund-Raising Events
The planner for a nonprofit fund-raising event is usually a hired staff member. She works closely with the CEO and board members in brainstorming ideas for the event. Once the theme is decided, she is responsible for implementing it from start to finish. Responsibilities include booking the venue, advertising, inviting attendees, ordering food, arranging activities, working with vendors and setting up the event. She must work within a very tight budget and may need to solicit sponsorships from major donors.
Wedding Planning
Weddings require detailed planning and for this reason many couples hire wedding planners. The planner works closely with the couple and books the venue and church, plans the meal, hires the entertainment and a photographer, helps guests book their hotels, plans a schedule for the day and makes sure everything goes smoothly.
Skills
An event planner must have above-average communication and organizational skills. He must also be able to multitask, think outside the box, think on his feet and troubleshoot problems. The planner must have the ability to work with all types of people and be able to visualize an event not only from start to finish, but also the steps he will take to accomplish it.
Requirements
There are no set educational requirements for an event planner. Most employers require an undergraduate degree in a related field, such as hospitality management, communications or business. Aside from a college degree, an event planner must have experience. Most employers want to hire someone who has planned similar events or has at least planned several large-scale events. A good way to get experience is to volunteer to help plan a local event or offer to plan events for friends and family. For example, an aspiring planner could offer to plan a friend’s wedding for free.
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