Starting Your Career as a Meeting Planner
Once you have completed your degree and are ready to start your career as an independent meeting planner, you may be wondering where to start. Even if you had an internship somewhere–and let’s face it, almost every graduate has had at least one–you still may not know how to approach self-employment. A word to the wise here would be, “don’t.”
Although you can certainly end up with your own meeting planning company, the fact is you will want some experience with an established company related to your future plans. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Event Planners
If you want to work with special events and festivals, try getting jobs in booking agencies, promotional companies, theaters, and public relations before you try this on your own. While you’re employed elsewhere, you can build relationships with people you will need to know later while you build your skill sets.
Business Meeting Planners
Try finding employment in hotels and conference centers that cater to business meetings. Learn about the technology businesses need to hold successful meetings. Also, develop contacts in the catering industry as well as entertainment while you are learning about the hotel and convention business.
Educational Conventions
Many conferences today are for continuing education. Again, jobs in hotels and conference centers can contribute to your knowledge base, but working for the small companies that sponsor the conferences–and hire the event planners–can be a plus. Learn about the technology of education as well. You may need a few classes for that.
Wedding Planners
Jobs in entertainment agencies, catering companies, and event facilities can help you learn about planning weddings. Also study wedding traditions and etiquette through local churches, synagogues, temples, etc., and read every bridal magazine that is printed.
Even though you can obtain degrees, experience and contacts from many places, nothing will replace networking. Get in with a networking group and learn how to promote yourself.
We have posted an interview on iGroupNews with Kim Reynolds who shares some compelling insight into how meeting and event planners can get started in this industry and eventually move up to operating their own company.