Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Careers

event-planner-500As a meeting, convention, and event planner, you are responsible for making sure that all aspects of events run smoothly. This includes scouting and selecting locations, ordering food, arranging transportation, and coordinating other equipment that is needed for the event, such as booths or projectors.

As such, your days will be highly varied. On some occasions, you may spend the day in your office on the phone with vendors and suppliers. On other days, you may be traveling from location to location helping set up and run events. At other times, you might spend the entire day on your feet at a convention center, constantly on the move.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Career Snapshot

Most (but not all) event planners are at least based out of an office, but you can expect to spend a significant amount of time out of your office at events. Rather than working a typical 9-5 schedule, you will need to be available when and where events are located, which may mean working overtime or odd hours.

Further details on a career as a meeting, convention, and event planners  are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):

$48,840

is the average pay for meeting, convention, and event planners per year.

10%

increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.

41%

of meeting, convention, and event planners have a Bachelor’s degree.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Education

For most positions, you will need a Bachelor’s degree; it is also helpful to have an internship before moving on to full-time employment. Some positions are available without a Bachelor’s degree, but your advancement will be limited.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Job Duties

You may find yourself physically setting up tables and signs, or coordinating a staff to so so. You will likely have many meetings with clients discussing their needs and expectations for the events that you plan. You will have to cultivate relationships with local service providers to make sure that you can provide the best event experience possible.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Salaries

According to the BLS.gov data, in May 2015 the median salary for an event planner was $48,840. The top 10% of earners made $82,050, while the bottom 10% made only $25,680.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Job Outlook

The event planning field is expected to grow 10% through 2024, which is higher than the typical job field. The services of event planners are increasingly valued, and salaries and the job market are growing accordingly.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planning Skills & Traits

Meeting/Convention/Event Planning Skill Set:Required Abilities:Tools Used by Meeting/Convention/Event Planners:Typical Work Activities:
• Active listening
• Reading comprehension
• Speaking
• Coordination
• Critical thinking
• Oral comprehension
• Oral expression
• Speech recognition
• Written comprehension
• Written expression
• Desktop/notebook computers
• Videoconferencing equipment
• Email software
• Project management software
• Organizing work
• Making decisions/Solving problems
• Communicating with others
• Interacting with computers

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