CAREERS IN EVENT MANAGEMENT
Events and occasions are an integral part for any individual. They hold an important part in our social existence, with birthday parties, marriages, baby showers, family get-togethers, we celebrate these at personal level. Right from our academic days to our working days, we come across numerous events which are celebrated at professional level. Event Management is a multifaceted activity. Event managers require a wealth of skills from the knack of basic planning to detailed managing of events. There are n-number of opportunities available for event management students.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
An event management aspirant needs to have certain skills which help them work efficiently in the event management industry. These skills include:
- Analytical Ability: The knack to solving all sorts of problems and even have the foresight to anticipate unforeseen issues.
- Public Relations: To manage clients, their agents and a vast gamut of professionals.
- Management Skills: Ability to manage time, stress, clients, subordinates, risks, budgets and so on.
- Networking Skills : The event industry thrives on the shoulders of personal networking. One must have the ability to utilize their networking skills and expand it in their own favor.
- Organizational Skills: The careful planning of tasks for self and also for the team.
DIFFERENT NAMES - DIFFERENT ROLES
- Event Planners: This position is a perfect fit for a multi-tasker. They handle big scale events like conferences or trade shows for thousands of people. They are the go-to persons during events in case of any problems. Though it is a fast paced and intense job, the feeling of accomplishment after a great event is priceless.
- Designer - Designers in the event industry are those people who visualize and prepare the layouts of the stage, entrance, costumes, lighting and so on. They are people with creative minds and have innovative ideas regarding the different types of events. They understand the need of the client and make appropriate designs accordingly.
- Sponsorship Coordinator: To conduct an event, requires a lot of finances. In such cases, getting sponsors becomes necessary for the event organizers. In order to bring in sponsors for a particular event, a sponsorship coordinator plays a crucial role. They understand the size of the event and the type of people that would be attending it. These coordinators then explain the details to the sponsors and gain their confidence into investing higher amounts in order to get higher returns. The sponsorship coordinators have great communication skills.
- Event Social Media Coordinator: Social Media has influenced all industries including the event industry. A social media coordinator works to promote events on social media to gain maximum attendees and develop an exposure for the event and also for the venue. They create quirky hashtags, conduct live feeds and run campaigns. They are the most important part in making any event successful, as in today’s world, social media is the most powerful platform to showcase your skills.
- Promotions and Marketing Managers: The job of a promotions and marketing manager is to promote the image of the organization or event management firm and also to market the event. For an event manager, a great turn out in the attendees states the success of the event. The marketing manager uses his strategies and management skills to promote the event to the public at large.
Event management companies prefer candidates who have earned their qualification that is a bachelor’s or a masters degree in event management from recognized universities in order to widen their scope of events and also to utilize the untouched skills of the new graduates in the best possible way.
Written by - Prof. Drishti Saraogi
