So you want to become a corporate event planner? That’s awesome news! As a corporate event planner, you’ll have the potential for an interesting, fulfilling and long-lasting career where you get to meet and interact with all kinds of people. It can also be a lot of fun! That’s not to say that it can’t be very challenging at times, but at the same time, it can be very rewarding work.
When you’ve pulled off an exceptional corporate event after months of planning, problem solving and managing all the small details, you’ll understand what we mean.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You need to break into corporate event planning first. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of five ways to get started on the path to become a corporate event planner.
5 Ways to Become a Corporate Event Planner
1-Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to get a taste for corporate event planning. You can offer to help with special events planned by a company, organization or nonprofit. Volunteering lets you test your skills to see whether you have what it takes to be a corporate event planner. These include: organization, communication, negotiation and leadership skills; time management; budget management; and marketing and public relations. Of course you’ll need to have a creative flair as well!
2-Find an Administrative Role with Event Planning Duties
In many organizations, especially smaller ones, event planning duties fall on the administrative staff. This can be a fairly easy way to try out event planning, to see whether you have the knack for it, as well as whether you like the work. You’ll also get some valuable event planning experience under your belt, which you can use to segue to roles with greater event planning responsibilities.
3-Take Courses
While nothing is as relevant as real-world experience, there are many courses available in corporate event planning that can provide you with certification. These will typically cover basics such as the various types of events you’ll need to plan; how to interact with clients; design specifications such as floor plans and seating charts; and branding and media relations. Some colleges and universities also have entire degree programs in event planning.
4-Work in Brand Management
Most sizable organizations have a department that handles corporate branding. A role in brand management can provide you with experience planning and participating in media events and trade shows. You can also learn a lot about public relations and working with groups of people. This experience is a good background for those who eventually want to become corporate event planners.
5-Become a Freelance Event Planner
If you have a regular job, but a real knack for planning and a true desire to become a corporate event planner, try becoming a freelance planner on the side. Start out small by offering your services to local businesses or groups who need help with meetings or events, but don’t have the staff or resources to handle all the work themselves. In the beginning, you might have to volunteer some of your time for free, but that’s okay if it pays off in the end by getting you into the career that you want.
In addition to these ideas for breaking into corporate event planning, we also encourage you to take lots of photos and to document all the events and meetings that you help plan. Then you can use these to create a stunning portfolio that will come in handy to showcase your work as you advance in your career.
Save the Date Would Love to Help with Your Corporate Events
For 25-plus years, the Save the Date® team of professional planners have taken our clients’ visions and transformed them into unique and memorable events. We understand the many challenges of being a corporate event planner so if it’s your first time planning a big corporate event or if your upcoming event is particularly challenging, remember we’re here to help. We would love to speak to you today to find out more about your event to determine which solutions to recommend. There’s no obligation; just call us at 212-333-3283.
