5/1/2023 0 Comments Become a party planner![]() ![]() So I took over planning our annual auction for scholarships. In the fall of 2008, due to the economy, the organization had to make some staff cutbacks, including its fundraising events person. I started off working in the communications and development department of a nonprofit. We can also develop and implement public relations and media campaigns for our clients. With Conway Amling, it really depends on what our client wants-we will plan entire events or simply do day-of logistics. I also handle marketing, PR, social media, and investor relations. It’s not always as glamorous as it appears and there is a lot of pressure involved, but it is incredibly rewarding to see your hard work come to fruition and create a wonderful experience for your guests.ĭirector of Communications and Events at a Venture Capital Firm and Co-Founder of Conway Amling Strategies and Eventsīrief Job Description: At the venture firm, I coordinate all aspects of events, from networking and business development events to summits and investor conferences. Gaining experience will also give you a better perspective of what it takes to plan an event from start to finish and be sure it’s really something you want to do. Even if you work in a completely different field, you can volunteer with a local nonprofit and help to plan a fundraising event, or offer to help coordinate an outing or holiday party for your company. Find ways to get involved with event planning, build a resume, and start a portfolio. What advice would you have for someone breaking into your field? Working at MGM Studios was a great experience, and after two years there I was hired by Pepperdine University as an Event Coordinator. My desire to become an event planner grew from there and I knew that was the direction I wanted to take my career. Though event and meeting planning was just a small part of my job, I was exposed to trade show preparation and planning as well. After two months of numerous different assignments, I was placed into the assistant position as a temp and hired on full-time about a month later. Though it wasn’t always consistent full-time work, it allowed me to meet people within the company, work in various departments throughout the studio, and discover the areas I enjoyed the most. I got in by applying to be in the studio’s temp pool. (This, of course, was after about six months of part-time jobs including serving in a restaurant, working for a catering company, and even telemarketing for two weeks to help pay the bills!) I considered myself very lucky to land a job at a studio so early in my professional career. My first “real” job out of college was at MGM Studios as an assistant in the Consumer Products and Marketing Department. What was your first job in this field, and how did you land it? I just wanted to be prepared when the right opportunity presented itself. Both were somewhat broad and I felt I could utilize those skills no matter what I ended up doing. Ultimately I decided to major in Mass Media Communications and Political Science. At one point I thought about going into law enforcement, I debated psychology, PR, marketing, and working in the entertainment industry. I was interested in so many different areas. I knew what I didn’t want to do, but I had trouble narrowing down exactly what I did want to do. Even if you’re planning an annual event, it’s always a challenge to continue to improve it and make it better than it was the year before. Event planning allows you to work on such a wide variety of projects and no two are exactly the same. I wanted a career that was fast-paced where I would be doing something different each day and not stuck behind a desk 40 hours a week. I knew I would never get bored! I needed to find something that would keep me on my toes and wouldn't get monotonous. My department produces a wide variety of events including those involving the President of the University and high-level donors, conferences, gala dinners, and alumni events. Managing Director, University Events, University of Southern Californiaīrief Description of Job: I manage the day-to-day operations of the University Events team, providing strategic guidance and creative direction, and ensuring that all events produced through our office extend the presidential standard of hospitality and promote the University and its goals. We sat down with two professional event planners (who, yes, love their jobs) to learn more about what it takes to break in. ![]() But it takes more than just a love of a great party to succeed in this fast-paced field-you’ve got to have an eye for detail and an ability to handle constant deadlines and pressure. Planning events for a living sounds like a dream-picking food and décor, working with tons of different people, spending your days at cool venues instead of behind a desk. ![]()
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