Who's an Event Manager?
An event manager is considered to be the life-saver for anybody trying to plan a social gathering. This could be any type of event; be it an office party or a product launch party. It could also be an exhibition or a dance, music, or comedy show! It could be a birthday party or even a wedding! Be it a public event or a private one, people need help to put it all together and that’s where your role begins!
As an event manager, your job is to understand, plan, and execute people’s needs or requirements for social, promotional, or business events. What will they eat? Should they hire a DJ or a live band? Should they have it indoors or outdoors? Your job is to help them plan an unforgettable event at a great price. This involves negotiating with vendors and offering the best deal to your clients.
Are you passionate about Event Management? Want to pursue it as a future career option? Explore a day in the life of an Event Manager- Rhonesia D’Souza
What will you do?
Where would you work?
How do you get there?
What skills would you need?
Time Management
Time management refers to the ability to plan and organise how much time you spend on specific activities. Good time management enables individuals to work smarter rather than harder, helping them prioritise tasks, set goals, and allocate time efficiently. It includes skills such as prioritisation, scheduling, and setting deadlines, allowing individuals to maximise productivity and reduce stress. This skill is especially valuable in fast-paced environments, where the ability to adapt and adjust priorities can significantly impact performance.
Social Skills
Social skills are the abilities that enable effective communication and interaction with others. They encompass a range of interpersonal competencies, including active listening, empathy, non-verbal communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork. These skills help individuals navigate social situations, build relationships, and collaborate effectively in various settings. Having strong social skills is crucial for personal and professional success. They enhance teamwork, foster positive relationships, and improve communication, which can lead to better collaboration and productivity in the workplace. In many professions, especially those involving direct interaction with others—such as education, healthcare, and sales—strong social skills can significantly impact outcomes and overall effectiveness. build this skill
Communication Skills
Communication skills are the ability to clearly express ideas, information, and feelings, both verbally and in writing, so others can easily understand. This includes listening effectively, using the right tone, and being aware of non-verbal cues like body language. These skills help you explain your thoughts clearly, build relationships, and work better in teams. Good communication is important in almost every job, from customer service to leadership roles, because it ensures that tasks are understood and done correctly, and it helps prevent misunderstandings. build this skillHow do you make it to the top ranks?
Intern
As an intern, your role is to observe and learn from your immediate seniors. Additionally, this role helps shape your resume and hone your skills for a stellar career ahead.
Event Coordinator
This role requires you to take on administrative and on-field tasks. Mostly an entry-level position, this is just the beginning of your learning experience.
Event Supervisor
This position requires you to oversee the on-site tasks including installations, decor, etc. It is a demanding role and one that takes you places in the industry.
Event Manager/Designer
This position can have varying roles and duties based on the kind of events you’re planning. It blends both business and creative aspects to place on you the responsibility of communications, marketing, public relations, and creative planning.
Senior Event Planner
This role requires you to have impressive organisational skills along with several years of experience in the industry. When you work in this role, you must plan events to perfection and ensure that all your subordinate teams and members are working in perfect tandem.
Event Producer/Executive Director/Director
The title of this role is as dynamic as the role itself. Much like the CEO of a company, this position requires you to oversee multiple events, teams, customers, vendors, etc.
Pursuing your career locally VS abroad
With events ranging from Weddings, Corporate Conferences, Product Launches, Film and Award shows, there is a lot happening in this field in India and there is good scope for an Event Manager to pursue a career in India. One can pursue courses in Event Management from institutes like National Academy of Event Management and Development (NAEMD), MIT World Peace University, GEMS B School, National Institute of Event Management (NIEM) among others, who offer diploma, certificate, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in event management. Fees range from INR 1 lakh to INR 10 Lakhs depending on the course and the institution.
Event Management has very good scope abroad. Formal Undergraduate and Masters Degree Programmes in Event Management are offered by many Universities such as – Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands, Hochschule Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Germany, Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Canada, University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA, University of Suffolk, UK among others. Fees are expensive ranging from USD 10,000 – USD 40,000 per year. Global Experiences is an organisation that helps international students connect with Internship positions globally.
How much would you get paid?
The exact number will depend on where you’re working, your education, skill-set and internship experience. As a freelancer, you could get paid around INR 500 to INR 5000 per day during the event. At an entry-level position, you’re likely to earn between INR 1,50,000 and INR 7,60,000 per year. As you gain further experience, you can earn up to INR 17,80,000 or maybe more every year!
What are your career options?
Project Management
By its very nature, organizing an event is a complex Project, and as an Event Manager you gain valuable Project Management skills such as scheduling, risk management, budgeting & estimating, vendor management, people management etc. that can be used in managing generic Projects. Projects in specific domains such as Software, will need some background in software development to effectively manage Software Projects.
Marketing Communications
Managing an event involves effectively communicating about the event with potential participants and building interest to ensure a large turnout. This skill can be leveraged to be used in the field of Marketing Communications.
Public Relations
Public Relations managers are responsible for ensuring that the accomplishments, initiatives, and perspectives of the organisation they represent, are favourably presented to the public. Whether in a crisis situation or otherwise, as a PR manager you would be called upon to respond to questions from the media, preparing media kits, organizing press conferences and so on.
Adventure Camp Manager
As an Adventure Camp Manager, you would utilize all your skills in Event Management to organize and manage a specific type of event – An Adventure Camp. This would require the very same skills you would use in organizing any other event, but applied to a very specific scenario. The kinds of Adventure Camps are limited only by your imagination, and could include – Stargazing Trips, White water rafting, Trekking, Mountaineering and so on. Some of these activities will require special training related to the kind of activity.
#CAREERREADY QUIZ
Think you know everything there is to know about this career?
Take the quiz to test your knowledge and find out how #CareerReady you are!
You got 1out of10right!
You’ve only scratched the surface.
Unlock the full Mentoria Solution to get helpful updates on your chosen industry!