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A Career in Event Management

A career in events is an inspired choice – the UK events industry is worth over £42billion annually and despite the pandemic still supports over half a million full time jobs. Discover more with our 2021 FREE Event Management Guide.

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Ever wondered what a day in the life of an event manager is like & if it’s the right career for you?

What Do Event Managers Do?

Event managers can work on a whole range of different events which is what makes being an event manager such an exciting, challenging and fun industry to work in.

A typical week might involve visiting a venue for an event, meeting with a client to discuss their plans, doing a food tasting session, meeting with the entertainment for the event…the list can go on!

Working as an event manager is fast-paced and varied – every day is different from the last and event managers are always on the move.

Event managers oversee the whole process of creating an event which can include some or all of the following activities:

  • Talking to and meeting the clients to find out what they want from their event
  • Using creativity to come up with ideas for the event
  • Managing the budget (how much money is available to spend on the event)
  • Researching venues and suppliers (where the event will be held and who will supply the services  needed such as florists, musicians, equipment hire)
  • Site visits to find a venue
  • Food and wine tastings with the caterers
  • Managing suppliers and other staff working on the event
  • Marketing the event
  • Publicising the event through PR
  • Working with celebrities who will attend and endorse the event
  • Working on event sponsorship or fundraising for the event
  • Creating a Risk Assessment for the event
  • Creating an Event Plan of how to execute the event
  • Looking at ways of making the event as eco-friendly as possible
  • Being there on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly

Where Do They Work?

There are many different areas within the event industry that you could work in.

Event managers organise all sorts of events from large-scale corporate or business events to weddings and private parties. They can work within a particular venue or organisation, or an agency working for a range of different clients who employ them specifically to organise and run events for them.

There are lots of different types of event agencies. Click on the links below to explore:

Party planning agencies – work on everything from private parties to corporate, Christmas or summer parties: GSPBentleysSmart Group

Boutique agencies – these are high end, high profile events with big budgets: QuintessentiallyBespoke EventsThe Admiral Crichton, The Department

Experiential Marketing agencies – work to promote brands through engaging customers with experiences like sampling of products and events: WRGConcertoImaginationJack Morton

Production agencies –  deal with all things relating to the sound, audio and visuals for events, as well as stage setting: Made up, This is BD, We Are Amplify

PR agencies – use events for the launch of products and services or to create a buzz about something by working with the media: Inca PRModus PublicitySurgery PR

Internal communications agencies – work with a corporate organisation to help deliver a key message throughout the company: First Protocol, InvolveUnspun

Relationship building agencies – help companies maximise their existing or new relationships through organising engaging events: CTN, Adoreum

Fashion agencies – focus on the delivery of new fashion lines: Blonstein, NegarinINCA

Sporting agencies – work on the delivery of sporting events: CSM, PSG, Soul Sports, Octagon

Festival agencies – deal with organising and delivering festival events: Get Involved, Vision Nine,Brand Events

Exhibitions – can cover anything from art exhibitions to corporate exhibitions: Clarion Events LtdMontgomery Events

Event teams within a Corporate Company

Big companies like Starbucks, Facebook, Topshop, BMW (to name a few) have event teams within their marketing departments and will either organise events themselves or hire an event agency (like the ones above) to help create events. They are often involved in creating their own company parties and company conferences.

Venues

Many venues hire event managers to deal with enquiries to hire their event spaces. Venues include clubs, arenas like the O2, sporting venues such as Wembley Stadium, hotels such as The Savoy, and historical buildings such as Hampton Court Palace and museums like the Science Museum.

Different venues lend themselves to different types of events. For example, hotels can be perfect venues for weddings, private parties, conferences and meetings but not so good for a festival or sporting event. Event managers working in venues can help with the selling of their event spaces to customers. Depending on the customers’ needs, they may also get involved in all areas of running the event.

Event teams within a Charity

Most charities have event teams. Charity events are mainly focused on fundraising to raise money for their cause. These events can range from sporting or challenge events, galas or balls. They help to organise new and innovative fundraising events.

What Skills Do Event Managers Need To Have?

Here are some of the skills that event managers use. Think about your skills. Are you any of the following?

  • Organised
  • Creative
  • A ‘people person’
  • A natural communicator (which is different to being the loudest!)
  • A problem solver
  • Flexible
  • Positive
  • Confident
  • Good with numbers
  • Good with computers
  • A multi-tasker
  • Motivated
  • Hard-working
  • Someone who likes to travel

These are just some of the skills that event managers use. But remember, it is all about figuring out what your strengths are and how you can overcome your weaknesses – after all, we all have them!

What Is The Best Thing About Being An Event Manager?

A career in event management can be varied, exciting and fast-paced.

Perks like being able to travel, get involved with wine and food tastings, meeting celebrities and seeing behind the scenes at glamorous top venues can all make for an exciting career.

Events are a team effort and being an event manager is all about working with people, your team, your suppliers and your clients.

If you enjoy being creative, there’s loads of opportunity for that and you get to have the satisfaction of seeing your ideas come to life in the events you create.

Events are very NOW…you have to be on or ahead of the trends!

Are There Any Downsides To Being An Event Manager?

Every job comes with its challenges.

In event management, you rarely work 9 – 5 hours. This suits lots of people who want variety and don’t want every day to be the same, but it might mean you work some long or unsociable hours.

As with any job working with people you may have tricky or demanding clients to work for and often people only see the glamorous part of your job and not all the hard work that goes behind it…but we think it’s worth it!

How Much Do Event Managers Get Paid?

Pay for event managers varies depending on your role and level but salaries start from £18,000 and can reach as much as £100,000+.

It is worth noting that it is not difficult to progress quickly in the event industry if you are hard-working and motivated.

Are There Jobs Out There?

Yes! The event industry in the UK is growing and there are expected to be 193,000 more event manager jobs by 2022. The Event Academy is also unique as our student support team actively place students in the industry at the end of certain courses.

How Do I Become An Event Manager?

If you’re thinking about a career in event management you’ll be looking at all the options. The events industry is more interested in your skills and your ability to do the job than how many qualifications you have.

It is, however, really important to feel confident in your abilities and to have the knowledge you need to know what you are doing, which is why we recommend doing an accredited event management course.

When choosing a course, bear in mind that courses that are accredited (recognised by an awarding body) are valued most by employers because they can trust that your qualification is of a high standard.

At the Event Academy, we offer a variety of courses to suit all levels and you can learn online or live. All our courses are fully endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a globally recognised body.

Our students success is our success – there are so many stories, and we’ve collated a handful of them

Cocktail waiter in lit-up bar venue

Visitors looking at merchandise at international event

Soldiers in dress uniform marching band

Want to find out more?