The last couple of decades have witnessed the emergence of various off-beat jobs. Among them, one that has gained extreme popularity is 'event planning'. Hiring an event planner for any event, be it formal or informal, has become a fad, because it saves the hosts a lot of time and energy.
Planning an event is a huge task, that may leave the hosts concentrating more on the preparation than on the main event. If you have to organize an event at home or workplace, do not fret. There are many event planners who can step in your shoes and make the event a memorable one, be it a corporate meeting, wedding, family get-together, or a social event.
They are professionals who take up the job of organizing an event from the planning stages to the actual day of the event. It is not necessary to have any kind of qualification to become an event planner, however, a degree or diploma in hospitality management would be helpful.
Corporate Sector
In the corporate world, having daily meetings are very common. An event planner who specializes in corporate events has to plan and organize high profile meetings or conferences, where executives come from different places.
A corporate event planner has to make arrangements like printing documents, setting equipment for showing PowerPoint presentations, etc., that would be needed during the meeting. They also have to arrange accommodation for the guests. Many companies hire event planners for such occasions, or sometimes have a permanent event planner working in their company.
Social Events
Social events, like charity functions, musical shows, award ceremonies, etc., are some specializations that an event planner can choose from. These events are always held on a large-scale, and require lot of planning and coordination.
It is the job of the event planner to organize the whole event from the expenses to the technical stuff. It is also his/her responsibility to chart out the whole agenda of the program, plan the decorations, seating arrangements, security, and parking facilities.
Informal Events
Under the criteria of informal events come weddings, birthday parties, family get-togethers, etc. Although these events are family affairs, numerous people are handing over these responsibilities to professional event planners.
While organizing these events, the planner has to work according to the client's demands and wishes. For instance, weddings are once-in-a-lifetime occasions for couples, and so they may have some ideas to make it special.
The job of a wedding planner involves budgeting, selecting a venue, invitation cards, decoration, catering, entertainment, etc., all as per the requirements of the client. This is similar in case of parties and gatherings.
These careers may look glamorous from outside, however, it involves a lot of hard work to become successful. Besides, this job does not have fixed timings, and you should be prepared to work at odd hours too. Those who have good organization skills and have the ability to handle crisis situations, with a cool mind, have a good future in this field.