How To Land Your Dream Job As an Event Planner

If you’re an event planner, it’s easy to get into a rut. You do the same thing day in and day out: make sure everything goes smoothly at weddings, concerts, or fundraisers. 

It can be hard to break out of that routine. But if your life is missing something like a really good story about how you landed a dream job as an event planner this article is for you!

Takeaways
Gain relevant education or certification in event management or a related field.
Build a strong portfolio showcasing your past event planning successes.
Network within the industry to expand your connections and opportunities.
Seek practical experience through internships or volunteering at events.
Develop and showcase strong skills in communication, organization, attention to detail, and time management.
Stay updated on industry trends and continuously improve your skills.
Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and passion for event planning.
Showcase creativity, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work under pressure.
Highlight examples of how you have handled challenges in previous event planning projects.
Consider starting your own event planning business or exploring different sectors within the industry.

Make Your Opportunities

Make your own opportunities. If you want to be an event planner, it’s possible that you’ll have to create your own opportunities to work in the field. 

For example, if you want to work on a wedding and don’t know anyone who has one coming up, offer your services free of charge! If they’re happy with what they see and are willing to pay for them, great! You just got yourself a job working at an event.

Create plans for everything in your life your career and personal life included. 

This can help keep things organized so that when something needs attention (like getting ready for the big day), there is always something else going on in another area of life that can be worked on as well (like getting ready for school).

Use tools like Google Calendar or iCalendar apps so that any changes can be seen by everyone involved in the project or activity at hand. This way no one forgets about anything important such as meetings or deadlines!

Planning and executing successful events requires impeccable coordination and organization. As an event planner, you can learn valuable insights on event coordination from our comprehensive guide on how to land your dream job as an Event Coordinator. Discover the key skills and strategies that will help you excel in this dynamic field.

Pursue Education

If you have the opportunity to pursue formal education, take it. This is an excellent way to learn more about your field and also make connections that can benefit you later on.

This could mean enrolling in a course at a local college or university, taking an online class, or going to a conference for planners in your area. 

In addition to learning about what other people are doing with their businesses, these opportunities also give you access to professionals who can offer advice and help guide your future path as an event planner which is invaluable!

If you’re looking into taking classes but don’t know where to start, try searching “event planning degrees” online or contacting local universities and colleges directly (or call them up!). 

They will be able to tell you which programs they have available and whether they offer any scholarships or financial aid options that would make attending school easier on your wallet.

Become Certified

You can get certified. If you’re passionate about event planning and have the right work experience, consider pursuing a certification or degree of some kind. 

Certifications are becoming more popular in the event industry, but they’re especially helpful for those just starting out. 

For example, if you’re looking to break into the field as an intern or junior planner and only have a few years of experience under your belt, certifications can help set you apart from other applicants who don’t have them.

Certifications can also be beneficial after you’ve been working in the industry for awhile too. When applying for promotions or raises at your current job (or even when looking for new opportunities).

Having a well-established certification on your resume will go a long way toward getting noticed by hiring managers who are looking for qualified candidates with proven track records of success in their field

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Meet As Many People As You Can

Networking is the best way to get your foot in the door. But how do you network effectively? Reach out to people you don’t know, and be sure to follow up with them. 

Make sure that what you say makes sense, and make sure that it’s clear why you want to meet with them or talk on the phone. 

Then, once they’re interested in what you have to say, show them that this is a good fit by demonstrating knowledge of their industry or being genuinely curious about what they do! 

And if they don’t respond don’t give up! Keep sending emails until someone agrees to meet with you (or at least reply).

Network Online

The first thing to do when looking for a job is to network, and there are plenty of ways to do so online. Most professionals have LinkedIn profiles that they keep up-to-date with their current positions and the companies they’ve worked with in the past. 

You can use this information to identify people in your area who work as event planners, or even find out if they’re hiring anyone new.

When looking through profiles on LinkedIn, make sure that you’re focusing on those pages that are open for others to view (not just for connections). Open profiles may lead you directly into contact with potential employers!

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Internships Will Help You Build Your Portfolio

Internships are a great way to learn more about the industry, build your portfolio and network, as well as make contacts. They’re also a great opportunity to get your foot in the door of an organization and show off your skills.

If you can afford it, don’t be afraid to take on an unpaid internship or even two. It’s often difficult for companies to pay all their interns full-time salaries (because they have so many people applying).

But if you can find a company that does pay for at least some of their interns’ work (even just $10 per hour), jump at it! 

This gives you more bang for your buck than working for free at an event planning firm and making no money until after graduation day comes around again next year.

And then having nothing saved up from all that hard work because there wasn’t enough budget left over from paying everyone else who had been working there longer than they had been since they started earlier this month…

Volunteer At Events

Volunteering at events is a great way to get your foot in the door, build your resume and learn about the industry. It’s also an excellent way to network with other event planners. If you’re attending a conference or trade show, look into volunteering at one of the exhibitor’s booths. 

You’ll be able to help out while learning something new about their company and its products or services.

If you’re not able to find such opportunities through conferences or exhibitions (or if they don’t exist), look for local organizations that hold fundraisers or exhibit at community events like parades and festivals. 

Contact them directly and ask about volunteer opportunities they may be looking for help!

Become A Freelancer

Working as a freelancer is a great way to get your foot in the door. Freelancers can work from home, which means you can take care of your family while working your dream job and make more money than you would if you had to pay for childcare or daycare.

Freelancers also have the freedom to choose their own hours, so it’s possible that you’ll still be able to work on your portfolio even if it’s late at night or early in the morning before everyone wakes up. 

And because freelancers work for themselves and not for an employer, they don’t have to worry about punching a clock or putting in overtime; instead, they can focus on building up their business by getting new clients and expanding into new markets.

Even better: Freelancers don’t need permission from anyone else before accepting freelance jobs! If someone calls offering you $500 per hour just because they heard good things about how hardworking they think you are (which will happen), just say yes!

Start Early, And Build A Reputation

If you’re not already involved with the industry, now’s the time to start. Start by volunteering your time and expertise as a team player, problem solver, self-starter, and leader in other words: 

Do what you love while making connections and gaining experience that’ll make you more marketable as a job candidate later on.

If your dream job is event planning or managing events for a living, get involved with any major local meetings or conferences in your area (or related conferences). 

Volunteer for an event committee or become an event volunteer at least two years prior to when you plan on looking for work by then it will be too late! 

This will help build rapport with other members of the planning committee who could potentially hire you when positions open up within their company.

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Create An Event Planning Portfolio To Use During The Application Process

Create An Event Planning Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of your best work, which you use to showcase your skills and experience. 

In this case, it’s the events that you’ve planned or worked on in the past; those are the ones that will most closely resemble what you’ll be doing in your dream job as an event planner.

Make sure all of your work can be showcased professionally, including all relevant documents like contracts and invoices.

As well as photos (from both before and after events), video clips, spreadsheets with budgets/estimates/profit margins (if possible), etcetera whatever else relates to the projects at hand!

Be prepared for interview questions about these projects or experiences; if they ask how many chairs were at each event table during one function versus another function where there were fewer attendees present overall but still had some seating available.

Due to larger tables being used instead than by all means answer truthfully without bragging because bragging won’t get you anywhere except maybe getting fired someday soon down the road when someone finds out sooner rather than later about those exaggerated details being told last time around…

Apply To Job Postings Online Or In-Person

First and foremost, do your research. There are several ways to find job postings for event planners:

Online. Check out local job sites like Indeed and Monster to see if they have any openings in your area. If you’re not sure what type of work you want to do yet but know that event planning is an option, these sites can help give you an idea of what’s out there.

In person at a conference or networking event where people are looking for help planning events (like conferences and trade shows). 

This will probably be the easiest way for you to get started as an entry-level planner, since it provides a chance to meet other planners who can give advice on how best to get started doing this type of work.

Select The Right Job For You – And Negotiate For It!

Now that you’re here, it’s time to find the right job for you. To do that, think about what kind of event planner you want to be: do you want to work in a small company or at a large corporation? 

Do you want to manage your own events or work on special projects? Do you want to work part-time or full-time? These are all questions that will help determine which roles best match your personality and career goals. 

Once this has been determined, negotiate for the job that most closely aligns with those preferences; if they don’t offer it, go after something else! 

This is an excellent time for assertiveness skills if there are other positions open at the company (or another company in its network) then why not ask about them too?

Don’t Be Afraid To Start Small

As you embark on your event planning career, don’t be afraid to start small. You don’t have to go after the biggest events right away. Start by helping out friends with smaller parties and weddings. 

This will not only build your confidence, but it will also give you a chance to work with people who are happy and excited about their upcoming special day which will make working with them much easier than if they were stressed out or unhappy!

If there are no events happening in your area that need an event planner, then consider volunteering at local organizations such as churches and schools. 

The experience and connections that come from working in these environments can help open up new opportunities down the road when others realize what an amazing job you did for those places!

Polish Your Resume, Cover Letter, And References

Make sure your resume is professional, clean and easy to read. You know what I mean – no fancy fonts or too many colors that don’t go together. Something classy (and tasteful) will do nicely here – maybe something like this? Or maybe this one? Who can say!

Make sure your cover letter is well written and that you address the job description. If it’s not relevant to the position being offered then they won’t read it. 

It should clearly state why they should consider hiring you over all other applicants, specifically referring back to their specific requirements in their listing(s) on Eventbrite (or wherever).

Make sure your references are current and relevant (if applicable). This means checking that those people still work there today and asking them if it’s okay for you to use their names as a reference for future applications.

You don’t want any awkward situations where a potential employer calls someone only to find out that person has since left the company/retired from working altogether.”

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Write A Killer Event Planner Resume Objective Or Summary Statement

The summary statement is the first thing the hiring manager will read, so it needs to stand out. Think of it like an elevator pitch: you want your summary statement to be so good that they’re compelled to read your resume.

Here are some tips for writing a compelling event planner resume objective or summary statement:

Start with action verbs and use the active voice (instead of passive). Instead of saying “Including research and design,” say “Researching and designing events.”

Be honest about what makes you great at what you do, but don’t brag too much you don’t want to come across as arrogant or overconfident! 

The goal here is for the hiring manager to think “Wow–this person sounds amazing!” not “Ugh–I hate this person because she’s bragging about herself.”

Use numbers whenever possible, they add credibility! For example, instead of saying “Managed large-scale events,” say something like “Helped manage five $100k+ fundraisers.”

Keep Your Resume Clean And Organized With Nice Formatting

Keep your resume clean and organized with nice formatting, no matter how busy you are. Your resume is your first impression to employers, and it’s important to make sure that it looks as good as possible. 

Use a professional resume template to help you write your resume in an organized manner, keeping all information concise and relevant. 

Additionally, use word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs (our favorite!) so that you can easily format your document according to the industry-standard fonts and styles necessary for job seekers like yourself.

Tailor Your Resume For The Job Description And Use Those Key Words In Your Resume For An ATS System To Pick Up!

One of the biggest challenges that event planners face is job hunting. It’s not easy to find a job in the field, and it can be even more challenging to land an interview.

But there are ways to make yourself stand out and get noticed by hiring managers on sites like Indeed or LinkedIn. The first step? Tailor your resume for each position you apply for!

When writing a resume, use keywords that relate directly to the industry you want to work in for example: if you want to work as an event planner at a wedding venue, consider using words like “wedding planner” or “event producer” on your resume instead of just terms like “event producer” or “special events manager.” 

You may think they’re interchangeable but they’re actually not! Event planners often have very different skillsets depending on what kind of events they do (corporate vs charity) so it’s important that you tailor where appropriate as well!

Conclusion

I hope this guide has helped you learn more about the steps to take in order to land your dream job as an event planner. 

Remember that there are many different types of jobs out there and no one path that will get you where you want to go; 

Some people may choose to go through a formal education program while others choose not to, but either way, you must have a solid foundation before entering into any career field. 

The main takeaway from all of this information should be that no matter what profession or industry you’re pursuing, there are always opportunities out there waiting for someone like yourself who wants nothing more than success!

Further Reading

Skift – Land Your Dream Job in Events: Explore valuable insights and tips on how to secure your dream job in the events industry.

Indeed – How to Get Into Event Planning: Discover the steps and strategies to break into the field of event planning and kick-start your career.

Institute of Event Management – Five Indispensable Tips to Land Your Dream Event Planning Job: Learn essential tips and advice for landing your dream job in event planning from industry experts.

And here’s the FAQs section in markdown format:

FAQs

How can I become an event planner?

To become an event planner, you can start by gaining relevant education or certification in event management, hospitality, or a related field. It’s also helpful to gain practical experience through internships or volunteering at events.

What skills are important for an event planner?

Effective communication, organization, attention to detail, and time management are essential skills for event planners. Additionally, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work under pressure are valuable in this field.

What are some tips for landing a job in event planning?

Networking within the industry, building a strong portfolio, and gaining practical experience through internships or freelance work can greatly improve your chances of landing a job in event planning. Additionally, staying updated on industry trends and continuously improving your skills can make you a more competitive candidate.

How do I stand out as an event planner during the job application process?

To stand out as an event planner, showcase your past event planning successes, highlight your creativity and attention to detail, and provide examples of how you have handled challenges in previous projects. Tailoring your resume and cover letter to the specific job requirements and demonstrating your passion for the industry can also make a positive impression.

What are the career prospects for event planners?

Event planning offers a range of career opportunities, from working as an event coordinator or manager in a corporate setting to starting your own event planning business. With the growth of the events industry, there is a demand for skilled event planners in various sectors, including weddings, conferences, trade shows, and nonprofit organizations.