Want One of 2018’s Top Jobs? Jump Into Event Management

Glassdoor recently published an interesting article outlining the 25 Best Jobs in the UK. Whilst it’s a thought-provoking read in itself, it’s also fascinating to note that at least 6 roles mentioned can be found in event management.

These event career roles include:

• Marketing manager
• Operations manager
• Project Manager
• Business Development Manager
• Production Manager
• [National] Account manager

So the good news: although we already know event management’s a fantastic sector to work in, many of the exciting roles on offer within this vibrant industry are now also recognised elsewhere – another strong sign there’s never been a better time to jump into event management.

And the challenge – if you’re up for it? Hmm, well, if you’re hoping to bag yourself one of those top jobs in the event industry, you’re likely to see plenty of competition!

So, it makes sense to equip yourself with as much information and experience as you can get and happily, we can help … first by giving you some information about what these ‘best jobs’ look like in the events world, then by explaining what you can do to make your application stand out from the crowd.

Researching those roles

• Marketing Manager
  This and Marketing Executive roles in events management are particularly found in the venue, charity, public, and commercial conference sectors. Some Marketing Manager positions additionally encompass Brand Manager roles (also mentioned in the top 25), where the job is as much to do with promoting brands and services behind events, as the events themselves.
• Operations Manager
  This title is often given when you’re largely working from the inception to the completion of events (and everything in between)! Operations Manager roles are popular in venues and exhibitions sectors and in Production companies. Operations managers may also be specifically involved in research and analysis, including monitoring production and provision, with a view to strategising, depending on the venue or company.
• Project Manager
  In event management, many companies will assign Project Manager and Event Co-ordinator titles to in-house event management roles. Project Manager roles can also be found in the Event Services sector. The role specifically involves all aspects of project planning and scheduling, design, delivery, monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up. A Project Manager is likely to be managing several projects at the same time.
• Business Development Manager
  Events are big business and plenty of business is now done through event production. Business Development Manager roles can often be found in the Agency Event Management sector.
• Production Manager
  Live productions are the mainstay of events, and roles such as Production Manager and Production Co-ordinator can be found predominantly within production companies. This role title is also often used by freelance event managers, to help potential clients and contractors to easily recognise their live production skills and experience.
• [National] Account Manager
  Although the National element is the one which brings this role into Glassdoor’s top 25, it’s worth mentioning here because, in the events context, Account Managers are important within agency event management; hospitality, hotel, and venue events sectors; and within experiential event providers. These sectors may specifically offer such roles under the title of Events Account Manager.

Take some training

As well as having Manager in the title and being event industry relevant, another common thread across those roles is they also include a business and marketing context. So, it makes sense that any event education you take up should also include a focus on marketing. Ways to achieve this include:

• Looking for event qualifications which are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management (CIM). These qualifications not only support your knowledge for moving into Marketing Manager roles specifically but also most other event management roles.
• Taking education opportunities which include as much industry experience as possible, across various types of productions. This would particularly support your ambitions to move into Production Manager roles and is also hugely relevant to venue and in-house event roles.

Gaining an industry-respected, relevant qualification can certainly make your applications stand out, something which can make a real difference when getting started – especially if you’re emerging on your first career path or trying to break into events from another sector.

Event Academy courses are all based around experiential learning from event industry experts and can play a vital role not just in providing you with qualifications which demonstrate what you know and can do, but in additionally gaining vital hands-on experience and key skills needed for role-readiness.

Relevant experience

Gaining relevant experience is also essential for your CV and for presenting yourself knowledgeably at interviews:

• Volunteering is a great way to gain experience, although it can take some time to build up a portfolio this way.
• Check out event education which offers work placement (Postgraduate or Degree-Alternative) and project management as part of its assessment (Diploma), to support your move into all types of event management roles.

Courses which provide experiential learning – doing it, as well as learning about it from industry experts – is a real focus of ours. We aim that all of our courses should assist you in creating a ready portfolio of experience to support starting a career in event management.

Suitable skills

Whatever your current situation: fresh out of school, college, uni, a career-break or a career in a whole other sector, you’ll have plenty of skills already – such as communication, using digital technology and social media, organisation and administration skills.
Our event management courses aim to specifically support you in transferring those skills into the event management context – then help you develop any extra which are needed, particularly

if you have a role you’re aiming for, like developing your marketing skills through our relevant modules, ready for Marketing Manager roles.

And finally, about that 2018 timescale … many of our courses run in less than a year, so it may not take you long to go from hopeful to professional as you jump into event management. This could be true for you whether you’ve got one of Glassdoor’s top roles in mind or another one entirely. Hint: wedding planner is also a hot role this year, thanks to the romantic Royals!

Just so you know …

You’re warmly invited to come along to our next Open Evening to find out more about how our courses can make a difference for a career in events.

Salaries for any of the events roles mentioned can vary widely depending on whether in-house or contracted, private, public or corporate sector. To get some idea of salaries for these professional roles within events, you might like to take a look at ESP recruitment salary checker.