10 Top Tips to a career in Events Management

Both challenging and fulfilling, a career in events management requires grit, flair and passion.

1. Be passionate.

Creating special memories and designing lifetime experiences for others is what makes a career in event management so fulfilling. You need to have a passion for the events industry to carry you through the hard parts of the profession, including unpredictable working hours and having to deal with sometimes difficult people and clients.

Passion will carry you through to the rewards of an event management career: being the person who delivers once-in-a-lifetime events and experiences that will linger in the minds of your customers, clients or audience members long after the final song has been played, vows have been taken, or keynote speaker delivered their address.

2. Be prepared.

The best way to be prepared for a career in events management is to study further, and gain relevant industry experience.

With an ICMS Bachelor of Event Management, you’ll learn all you need to know about all aspects of the industry, and gain experience via the ICMS Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program before you graduate.

WIL means you get an internship at one of ICMS’ network of over 1000 industry partners before you graduate, preparing you for your career in event management by giving you the opportunity to use what you learn in the lecture theatres out in the “real world”. You’ll have work experience on your resume before you even graduate, preparing you to take your place in the event management industry.

3. Be online-savvy.

It’s no secret or surprise that digital marketing and social media are most likely the best way to reach your target audience, build hype for your event and get bums on seats. Electives in the ICMS Bachelor of Event Management include subjects such as Digital Marketing (MKT103A), and Social Content Creation (MKT304A), to name just two, that give you the tools to navigate social media and digital avenues of reaching your target audience.

Creative content and successful delivery of your message across multiple platforms will set you apart from event managers entrenched in outdated modes of communication.

4. Be creative.

The success of an event starts with a creative design and concept. The event industry has grown exponentially over the past decade. Within the increasingly competitive event space, events that are unique and creative in design and their concepts are winners.

5. Be flexible.

When no day is the same and working hours can fluctuate according to an event schedule, you need to be able to go with the flow and work hard in the lead up to the big day, knowing that on the other side you may be able to take a break.

Weekend work and after hours work are often the hallmark of working in the events industry, so keep this in mind when choosing event management as a career. Weigh up the advantages of a job that doesn’t keep to normal working hours – time off when others are working, the thrill of events, and the disadvantages: it may be hard if you have dependents who need you home in the evenings or weekends.

Be able to adapt when things don’t go according to plan, think outside the box for practical solutions to unforeseen problems. Always expect the unexpected and embrace every facet of the event planner’s role, from being at the top of the planning pyramid to clearing up afterwards. No job is too big or too small and the whole is equal to the sum of its parts, so get stuck in whenever and wherever you are needed.

6. Be a Multi-Tasker Machine.

A successful event is pulled together from many different angles, people and places. You need to be able to multitask and spread yourself thin without getting lost in the details. Being able to compartmentalize and prioritize, delegate while keeping your eye on the overall vision. Students with practical knowledge and skills are highly sought after by employers in the events industry.

7. Be positively proactive.

Rarely will things run smoothly at even the most prepared event. You have to be proactive and spot roadblocks well ahead of time, so you can put together contingency plans and alternate routes to success. A subject such as Risk Management (THE301A), offered as an elective in the ICMS Bachelor of Event Management, will show you how to maximize safety in the tourism, hospitality and event industries.

8. Be financially aware.

Successful event managers manage their money wisely, which is not always easy when payments are made ahead of time, or there are delays in payments. Windfalls need to be made to last over the quieter periods, and cash flow has to be carefully monitored. While there is enormous earning potential in an event management career, there is also huge potential for terrible loss if money is not managed correctly.

9. Be calm in the face of chaos

Unexpected rain for an outdoor venue, a supplier delivering the wrong thing, a venue that is unsuitable, a bride’s dress that goes missing in action…

Event planning is the science of predicting the unpredictable and anticipating all likely scenarios in a bid to smooth out the edges and deliver a seamless and marvelous experience for rapturous  spectators or attendees.

It’s not easy to stay calm when things turn chaotic, but a solid understanding of the event you are managing and the logistics required to pull it off will go a long way to helping you maintain your composure when things will inevitably fall apart… and give you the tools to put everything back together with flair and finesse!

10. Be inspired… and inspire others!

Being good with people is a prerequisite in the events industry, as you will be dealing with people from all walks of life and from every social strata. From CEOs and celebrities to teachers, government officials, students, co-workers, suppliers and everyone in between, your ability to network, connect, cajole and inspire will be key to creating successful events.

Great event managers may be the first to arrive and the last to leave, but the events you create will leave a lasting impression on any number of people, from intimate bespoke events to sold out stadiums.

Undergraduate: For more information on the ICMS Bachelor of Event Management, click here.

Postgraduate: For more information on ICMS Graduate Certificate in Event Management, click here.

Postgraduate: For more information on the ICMS Master of Event Management, click here.

For more information on the Aspire Diploma of Event Management, which is a standalone qualification or a pathway to an ICMS degree, click here.