Meeting Planner Careers

When one thinks of meeting planners they may be thinking of an office job where answering phones and entering information into a computer is all that happens. This might be true of some meeting planner jobs, but certainly not for all of them. Some meeting or event planning positions might involve a significant amount of travel, often to very interesting destinations. In short, the amount of travel involved will often depend greatly upon where one works as a meeting planner and the needs of that company/industry.

High powered executives are usually looking for meeting planners that have a flair for the dramatic or interesting. This will often entail higher salaries and/or benefit packages, but it will also mean more travel and interesting destinations. The workload may not be substantially different than that of a meeting planner for a more modest company, but the competition for such top-echelon meeting planner positions is likely to be fierce indeed. This competition is certainly justified by the compensation packages and travel opportunities, but there is also an option for homebodies who just want money: freelance meeting/event planning.

Freelance meeting planners do not always get to travel with their clientele, but it is not unheard of. Luckily, freelance meeting planners are free to collect as many clients as they can handle, and that means that there is no limit on their earning potential.

Renaissance Orlando Hotel at SeaWorld

Everyone is concerned about how the public perceives their meeting plans. So much so, that hotels such as the Renaissance Orlando Hotel at SeaWorld have dropped the word “resort” from their names.

The former Renaissance Orlando Hotel Resort at SeaWorld changed its name for “perception’ sake” according to the director of sales and marketing but also because it does not fit the image generally associated with a resort.

The Ritz-Carleton Hotels recently introduced a new package they hope will attract new meetings in 2010. Aptly named Meetings Within Reach, the package reminds the business community “It’s not extravagant if it produces results.”

Privacy has never been more important to meeting planners’ clientele. Properties, which have a proven record of accomplishment of protecting guests’ privacy, are in high demand. Limo services and lavish meals are the exception now rather than the rule. Do not attract attention to yourself seems to be the order of the day.

Is it necessary to use a company pseudonym when booking a hotel? Will you request that the hotel switchboard block media calls to the company’s VIPs? Will virtual meetings become the rule of the future? No doubt, there will be some permanent changes in meeting planning, but face to face meetings will not fall by the wayside, just the perception that meeting planning is party planning.

So you like planning events, and want to make a career of it. Congratulations! Most people have no idea what they would like to be doing a year from now, so you are a step ahead of the crowd. However, if you don’t like working with corporations there may be another avenue for you, even in the ruined economy: weddings.

Sure, we’ve all heard in the news that people are cutting way back on weddings, and even cutting out the planner if they can. Many have gone to a DIY format, even down to the cake. However, this is likely very stressful, and can put a big dent in a couple’s big day. If you are thinking of becoming a wedding planner, go ahead. Just try these simple ideas to get started as a wedding planner in a bad economy. Read more…