The event planning career is a recent career field addition. Prior to 1990 the career wasn’t listed in the Department of Labor job data base. The job goes by various names such as convention planner, conference or workshop coordinator, meeting manager or perhaps special event coordinator. Whatever the title of the job, meetings have tended to become more complicated with the expanding global economy.Event planning has become a complex service that requires training & experience to properly carry out all the duties involved. Corporations & large organizations pay well for a high level of competence for this multifaceted service.To be an effective event planner you must learn a variety of important skills. These skills range from selecting a suitable location for the event, travel arrangements, housing, rental cars, event set-up, entertainment, assist in planning the program, registrations & of course food.
The full service event planner must be a skilled planner & problem solver, able to negotiate with a variety of people & coordinate meeting & events from the local level to an international event. They may in one week organize a small meeting for a group of executives. Then start planning a year or more in advance for meeting involving a thousand or more sales personnel from all over the world. Then they may end the week traveling to be on site for a regional recognition conference.Many event planners are self-employed, & have a staff of specialists to coordinate the planning of events. Some specialize in smaller local events like weddings, reunions or local seminars & workshops. Larger corporations may have event planners working on the corporate staff. Others in the event planning field have found rewarding careers working for large hotels & big convention centers many in resort & destination areas.
