Event Planner: A Lucrative and Challenging Profession

Event management and planning might seem a fun and job that requires one to meet a lot of people. The job requires skills and a lot of preparations and is not restricted to party planning and other cultural events. Event planning services are availed by most large businesses to organize various events like seminars, conferences, award functions. Event planners also need to organize events like weddings, grand birthday bashes, New Year events and more. It is more about the vision, details, the organization and the source from where to organize an event, irrespective of its size without any kind of trouble. If you want to build a career as an event planner, start by working as an independent event management professional. You can also work as an event planner in an event management company, for example a wedding planning company.

Responsibilities of an Event Planner

You would be responsible for coordinating various kinds of corporate conventions and meetings. Since these are mostly on the basis of large scale arrangements, as an event planner, it would be your duty to arrange the travel, meals, accommodation and other activities for those attending the event. You would also have to make arrangements of the media and technical equipment and set it up on the venue. You should not forget that all these require to be done within a particular budget.



If you are employed by a nonprofit event for fundraising you are liable to work along with the members of the board including the CEO in various brainstorming sessions for planning out ideas for any events. Once the decision is made it would be your duty as an event planner to see to the implementation through to the end. The other responsibilities are venue booking, sending out invitations, advertising, arrangement of food and activities, working along with vendors and directing the event set up. You would also require soliciting sponsors for donations so as to fit everything within the budget.

Skills Required by an Event Planner

An event planner must have excellent interpersonal skills, with strong organizational and communication skills. You must possess the ability to do multitasking, troubleshoot problems and always be active and alert. Event planners are required to work around people from different backgrounds and from all walks of life. They must also have excellent visualizing skills and plan an event from the beginning till the end, accomplishing all the steps involved in it.

Educational Qualifications

There are no specific educational qualifications that an event planner requires but employers expect the candidates to at least possess an undergraduate certificate or equivalent degree. This can be in fields like communication, hospitality or business management. An event planner must have substantial experience because some organizations hire applicants are familiar with the planning events. If you want to gain experience try volunteering in local or similar event planning situations for your family or friends.

An event planner's average salary is around $45,000 or $63,000 annually and he or she can avail various benefits like social security, retirement benefits, pension, healthcare etc.