Event Management

Events and occasions are an integral part of human life. We simply cannot bypass them as they touch almost all aspects of our social existence. Birthday celebrations, social gatherings, engagements and weddings are events we celebrate at the personal level.

During academic years there are school events such as annual day functions, inter and intra school contests, sports day celebrations, followed by college and university level festivals. In the sphere of work, there are annual general meetings, exhibitions, marketing campaigns, conferences, product launches and brand development activities. Other events such as fashion shows, cultural programs, talent hunt shows, promotional campaigns, religious gatherings and so on also play an important role in our life.

And what’s more, all of us have been a part of these events from time to time. We either organize these events or take part in the show. Either ways we want these occasions to go on as per our expectations and in doing so we often seek professional help. However, we do not pay much heed to the people who assiduously put in their effort and creative talent to make these events memorable and successful. They are the event managers.

Event management is a multifaceted activity. Major constituents of this profile include creativity, meticulous planning, relationship management, advertising and marketing and much more, all rolled into one seamlessly choreographed process.

Step-by-Step

The very basic qualification to get into the realm of event management is to be a graduate in any discipline. However, you must possess certain traits that would help you go a long way in this industry.

Essential skills include:

Public Relations: to manage clients, their agents and a vast gamut of professionals you would meet in the line of your profession

Creativity: from the germ of the concept to manage an occasion to its final delivery

Marketing skills: to sell your idea to your clients in order to make their events memorable

Analytical ability: you must have the knack to solve all sorts of problems and even have the foresight to anticipate unforeseen issues

Organizational skills: to carefully plan for tasks for self and for the entire team

Networking skills: this industry thrives on the shoulders of personal networking and you must have the ability to utilize it and expand it in your favor

Management skills: ability to manage time, stress, subordinates, clients, budgeting, risks, situations and so on

Institutions that offer event management as a vocational study program are few and far between. Most of these institutes offer certificate and diploma courses. On the other hand, event management companies prefer candidates who have earned their qualification in allied fields such as a degree or a diploma in Public Relations, Tourism, Hospitality Management, Sales or Marketing.

Start Early

A creative aptitude and the skill to manage things meticulously are the main ingredients of getting into the event management industry. These skills can easily be honed especially during the academic years.

You can start off in this direction by organizing school and college events such as skits, quiz contests, cultural meets, annual day functions or sports events. For this, you need to have the acumen to select an appropriate venue for the occasion, visualize the décor and the sequence of items as they would unfold in front of the spectators. Further, you must arrange for an assortment of equipment, technicians and artists who would make the occasion successful.

A rich experience during these years plays a crucial role when you select event management as your preferred profession later on in life.

Is it the right career for me?

Like many other career paths, the route to a successful occupation in the event management industry is not based on the foundation of academic laurels and certifications. However, the basic survival toolkit to get into this profession is both wide and subjective.   

Your basic task is to plan and present an event in a novel way and that too from scratch. For this, you must possess the quality to think out of the box. Apart from ample creative juices, you ought to have good planning, marketing, budgeting, negotiation, client management, communication and leadership skills.

Further, you must have immense patience and insight to see right into the smallest details of the entire event management process and always stay focused on your project goals. Good networking skills, client management, business analytics, time management, ability to take on challenges, problem solving skills and adjusting to rapidly changing situations are some other qualities essential for this role.

The mantra for success in this cutthroat business is to constantly improve upon your existing skills, stick to your career objectives, avoid complacency and always delight your client.

Job Prospect

There are plenty of jobs in this industry. In spite of the current global economic slowdown, the event management industry has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. There are plenty of events: weddings, birthday parties, talent hunt and reality shows, fashion and cultural shows, academic and sports meets, religious functions, corporate events, conferences and so on.

Talented youngsters who want to leave their mark in this industry have numerous avenues. You can join an event management company or a media house that specializes in event management activities. Once you have garnered ample experience you can either start working in the capacity of a freelancer or event set up your own events business.

Pay Packet

The pay packet in this industry varies according to your role and responsibility. It also depends on factors such as the organization you are working with, the type of clientele your organization is catering to, your experience, and the city where the firm is located and so on.

Demand and Supply

There are is an insatiable demand for professionals associated with this particular industry. As very few educational establishments offer professional courses for aspiring event managers, there is a great paucity of experienced professionals in this field. To fill this gap, the event management business has to acquire professionals from a vast array of other vocations.

Market Watch

Event management is an industry that is on the move. An exponential growth in events such as talent-hunt competitions, music concerts, fashion shows, academic functions, exhibitions, trade fairs, religious gatherings and the like have fuelled the demand for talented event managing personnel. The demand for creative and result oriented event managers is going to continue in the near future.

Off late our country has started getting more and more media coverage and recognition abroad. Further, the cine industry has started hosting mega annual events at international venues. This has greatly improved the scope for people engaged in the event management industry to try their luck in international market.

Professionals in this field also get the opportunity to showcase their talent at international events where delegates from our country participate in cultural festivals and exchange programs, trade shows, conferences, exhibitions, corporate events and so on.

Positives/Negatives

You get numerous opportunities to rub shoulders with celebrities from different walks of life be it cine stars, sports persons, politicians, corporate moguls and so on

You have the satisfaction of having pulled off grand events with aplomb

You get the thrill of organizing and managing events from their concept all the way up to their execution

Like other creative pursuits you will have to put in endless hours of hard work to meet your deadlines

You have to cope up with immense work pressure to live up to your client’s high expectations

Other than long working hours the time schedule can frequently be erratic

Different roles, different names

An organization that is into event management business offers numerous positions to job seekers. The following are some of the departments in a typical event managing company:

Public Relations – managing a vast gamut of people ranging from clients, artists, stage performers, government officials, public and so on

Promotion and Marketing – for promoting the image of the organization and also for marketing the event to the public at large

Brand Development – a talent pool that is responsible for managing client requirements pertaining to brand restructuring

Designing – team of creative people who visualize and then prepare design layouts for the stage, costumes, accessories and so on

Administration – department that is responsible for back office and general administrative tasks

Production – team comprising of media professionals who manage the production and editing of audio video related media

Printing – department that takes care of printing all sorts of marketing collaterals and promotional items

Tips for getting hired

Since you would be working in the service industry and meeting people all the time having good communication skills helps

Although a graduation degree is enough to get into an event management firm but qualification in Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, Public Relations, Human Relationship Management, and Marketing enhances your chances for getting hired

Keep an up to date portfolio of all your creative and organizational activities and highlight your achievements during the selection processIt is not mandatory but desirable to have a certificate or a diploma in event management from a reputed academy