Is it Worth it to Become an Event Planner?
Is it worth it to become an event planner? Events are stressful and challenging for most, and yet for the right person, it offers an exciting opportunity!
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to be big and bold with your dreams!
Are you wondering 'is event planning right for me?', 'Should I become an event planner?' or 'Is event management a good career?' Event planning is a dynamic and multifaceted career that involves organising and coordinating various types of events, from small gatherings to large-scale festivals.
There’s no doubt that it can be demanding and challenging. Forbes listed Event Coordinator as the 5th most stressful job of 2017. Police Officer, Airline Pilot, Firefighter, and Enlisted Military Personnel were the only jobs ranked as being more stressful! However, working in events can also be the most exciting and thrilling experience…for the right person.
How to Decide if an Event Planning Career is Worth it for You…
01. Passion for Event Planning
Let’s start with the obvious. If you enjoy organising events and thrive in a fast-paced social environment, event planning will be a rewarding career choice.
Major events like the Olympics, Cannes Film Festival, and the Super Bowl offer incredible opportunities to immerse yourself in the excitement and challenges of large-scale event planning. Is it worth the stress of the fast-pace to become an event planner? Working on such high-profile events can provide immense satisfaction and a sense of achievement, making the career even more rewarding for those passionate about event planning.
02. Match Your Skills
Event planners need a diverse set of skills including organisation, time management, communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and attention to detail. Successful planners can lead major events like corporate conferences, weddings, and music festivals, requiring organised coordination and precise execution. Mastering these organisation skills will help you navigate the complexities of large events, ensuring smooth operations and memorable experiences for attendees.
03. Get Creative
Event planners have the opportunity to showcase their creativity in designing unique and memorable experiences for clients. Festivals like Burning Man, Coachella, and Rio Carnival allow planners to push creative boundaries and produce visually stunning and innovative event designs. If you enjoy coming up with innovative ideas and executing them, these types of events can be especially fulfilling and highlight your creative talents.
04. Manage the Challenges
Event planning can be a high-pressure job with tight deadlines and unexpected challenges. Large-scale events like music festivals, marathons, and cultural celebrations often present unique logistical issues and require quick problem-solving skills. Is it worth it to become an event planner? Is event management a good career? Being able to handle stress and solve problems efficiently is crucial for success in this field. Events is a career path that spits out the weak and rewards the strong (and organised).
05. Enjoy the Flexibility
Event planning often involves working irregular hours. If you’re someone who enjoys breaking away from the 9-5, including working evenings and weekends, then events might be for you. Events such as New Year’s Eve celebrations, major trade shows, and international conventions often require planners to adapt to different time zones and late-night schedules. Is it worth it to become an event planner? This aspect might not be for everyone. A career in events is best-suited to people who can handle a dynamic work environment and enjoy the excitement of non-traditional work hours.
06. Work Smarter, Not Harder
When you’re new to events, we know the event planning challenges can feel overwhelming and complex. Chances are you’ve read blog articles giving you step by step instructions about how to plan a successful event, but you don’t have the tools in place yet. That’s why we created our library of 150+ event planning tools and launched Event Kit—to make your event planning easy.
💡Pro Tip: One of the best ways to stay organised is to use our event planning templates. Our ready-made event templates set you up to take control of event planning from start to finish, by creating event budgets, developing event plans and timelines and more. Shop Now
07. Embrace Networking Opportunities
Event planning offers excellent networking opportunities as you interact with clients, vendors, and other professionals in the industry. Major festivals like the Sundance Film Festival and South by Southwest (SXSW) are prime networking grounds, connecting you with influential industry players and potential clients. Is a career in events for you? Take a moment to think about who you want to work with. Are you interested in building networks with the broad range of professionals working in events? Building a strong network can significantly enhance your career prospects and open doors to new opportunities.
08. Grow Your Job Outlook
It’s still a relatively new and fast growing industry so the need for event planners is expected to continue to grow for some time. Having said that, The demand for event planners does also fluctuate based on economic conditions and industry trends. While the pandemic was a disaster for the events industry, we’ve seen an incredible bounce-back following it. Is it worth it to become an event planner? Following global trends and researching the job market in your area can help you judge the potential career opportunities and stability in the field.
09. Enhance Education with Experience
While formal education in event planning can be beneficial, hands-on experience and a strong portfolio are equally important. Volunteering or interning at major events like the Olympics, national political conventions, and renowned film festivals can provide invaluable experience and boost your credibility. Gaining practical knowledge through such experiences can help you build a strong foundation for a successful career in event planning.
10. It’s Fun
Despite all the challenges, it’s simply a fun and satisfying industry to work it!
Featured Event Toolkits
Which Templates are Right for You?
When it comes to choosing your event planning tools, remember to choose templates that best align with your event requirements, and your unique needs and style of event planning. Always choose the right event templates for you.
With Event Kit, you get access to our library of over 150 ready-to-use event templates and tools made for easy event planning. Event Kit templates are designed to help you streamline your processes, stay organised, and deliver remarkable events.
Shop 150+ Event Planning Tools
Shop our ready-to-use, easy-to-edit event templates in Word, Excel, PPT, and PDF. Our beautiful tools are designed to help you plan your events quickly and easily. But don’t take my word for it. See what event planners around the world are saying about our Event Kit templates:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
These templates saved me a lot of time not having to create my own…Would definitely recommend to any new or experienced event planner.
–Leanne Allicock, LA Event and Photo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I'm so thankful you’ve created your resources and templates. It’s hard creating everything from scratch, so having something already done that you can tweak to your own needs is a godsend!
–Casey Bonacci, Bonacci Agency
Ask Our Team
Still don’t know where to get started? Not sure how to pick the right templates? Let’s chat!
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30 ready-to-use event templates and tools designed to give you the essentials for planning events from start to finish! This is our signature toolkit—if you only buy one thing today, make it this special collection of event planning tools.
Made for new event planners and busy event professionals. Price in USD.
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