How to get your dream job in the events industry

Working in events is about so much more than planning grand parties. While there is a social element involved, some of it is very solitary. And while your creativity will be tested, you will also need to be shrewd with a budgeting spreadsheet.

If you’re interested in building your career in events, read on to discover how you could make this a reality in 2020.

Like any other career path, you need experience before you can really get started. Getting experience in the events industry is easier than you might think, thanks to the wide range of entry-level and voluntary opportunities available. While you are building up your experience, you can also build your network. Through entry-level and voluntary opportunities, you can get to know different areas of the events industry.

If you already have plenty of experience in a different field, approach an events recruitment agency like Live Recruitment to learn how to frame this experience. It may simply be a case of presenting your CV in such a way that hiring managers pay attention to your past work experience and understand how it applies to events.

Even if you think you’re completely drawn to experiential events, don’t close yourself off to other event types just yet. Conferences might not be your ideal work environment, but you can learn a lot about how these things come together and you will learn about some of the fundamental ideas behind event planning.

Treat every opportunity to get more experience as a fact-finding mission. Even if you don’t end up working in the same industry, you will have plenty to talk about in interviews. You can also say with more confidence that you are destined for a career in your chosen field if you have tried the other available avenues.

Events are much easier to plan if you have a strong network behind you. When you are working at any event, make sure you get to know the suppliers and services team. Even if you're not the one running the event, you can still gather business cards and make a note of who to ask for.

This kind of insider knowledge will serve you well if you are expected to hit the ground running in a new role. Instead of heading to Google and relying on the recommendations of others, you’ll already have a phone book full of suppliers that you know are reliable.

If you dream of becoming an event manager, you will need to learn how to be an effective leader. While some people naturally gravitate towards this type of role, some people need to learn how to be a leader. Take the extra steps required and this will give you plenty to talk about in your interviews.

Develop your management skills by pushing yourself into roles where you will be required to lead. Ask for feedback, not only from your superiors but from those who are your subordinates. Use this feedback to become a stronger leader and hone your instincts. 

While you’re learning to lead, don’t forget how to be a team player. Events management is a challenging role. You need to inspire a team to help you create your vision while also allowing each and every one of them to shine. You can’t always lead from the front, sometimes you need to be in the back, encouraging your team to take decisive steps.

A part of being a team player is knowing how to build teams that will guarantee success. This is where networking comes into play. Make a note of people you have enjoyed working with in the past. Rather than filling your team with people you know are “easy” to manage, focus on filling your team with people who bring out the best in you.

Once you’ve landed your dream job in events, you can’t just sit back and relax. The event industry is always changing and you need to make sure you are staying one step ahead of the curve. Events is a traditionally analogue career path, but the rise of the internet, social media and big data is forcing the industry to re-think a lot of its core tenets. 

If you want to stay relevant, you have to be willing to adopt new ways of thinking. Make ongoing training and development a key part of your career path, follow courses that offer new techniques and improve your skills, such as Event Academy's online courses. This will help you to stay one step ahead of the competition and ensure your skills and experience are always relevant. It can also help to make you a more efficient event planner.