Event Planners - Need Suggestions

[Call_Me_Scarlett]

I am very interested in a career in event planning. I wanted to ask those of you who do this a few questions, if you don't mind.

1. How did you begin? I don't know where I would even start for this. I've planned a few birthday parties for family members & friends and made up little cards to hand out, but so far that's it. Where did you go to get started?

2. Did you take any classes for this career? I'm just starting my second year of college, so right now I'm only doing my basics. But soon I'll need to focus on classes for my career. If you did college, what was your major? What classes would you suggest I take?

3. Do you have any advice for me?

Thanks so much!

[singerwife]

I'm not an event planner, solely...but it is a large part of my current (and past) jobs, so I can help a little bit.

My advice is to start working part-time or volunteering with an organization that does events. e.g. local university, advertising/pr agency, library, larger charities. Maybe even an internship.

You'll get a better sense of the back stuff that's required: budget prep, vendor negotiations, insurance, contracts, timelines, media....stuff that's not so much fun, but necessary.

As far as classes, I'd suggest marketing and basic accounting classes.

Good luck!

[Call_Me_Scarlett]

Thank you so much singerwife. I'm sorry I haven't come around sooner. I'm back in school and tend to use my computer there for school-related things and only hop on CC when I'm visiting my sister.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate it!

[villanelle75]

I got into event coordinating and plannign soley back accident. I was an admin assistant and ended up beign promoted. Since the person who used to haeg this job really sucked and I suspected she might not last, I volunteered to be as involed as possibel in any details of eventsso I could prove I could do it. Evne though your situation is different, I think you can do similar things, paricularly if you volunteer with a non-profit and let them kno wyou want to help with event,s even if it's not high level plannign you'll be doing. You can put anything you do there on a resume so even if you print name tags and check people off at the door, you have suddenly "managed a guest list of 200" on your resume. Also, I know several colleges offer courses or certificate programs in event planning and I'd bet you can find a few online classes to take that woudl also be great on a resume.