One of the fastest and the most glamorous upcoming professions today, it means rubbing shoulders with who's who of the crème-de-la crème layer of the city.
It does mean big money, but it also involves lots of discipline and meticulous planning to be in this profession. So if you are think you are that type then go ahead and take the plunge. Planning an event is an event in itself. Your job as far as organising an even begins with the very basics. The client comes to the event manager with a vague idea in mind…it is entirely upto the event manager to work on the idea and turn it into a reality. Events could be anything from concerts, product launches, conferences, promotions, press conferences, jubilee celebrations and farewells to television based events, fashion shows, wedding or parties… it could be just anything.
In a nutshell : An event manager has to first design the basic framework,j after which he prepares the marketing plans, hunts for sponsors, works on the logistics, locates the site/destination, contacts vendors, hires performers, prints/mails invitation cards, creates menus, looks after the stage/lights, books the artistes, arranges for transport for different people, and on the D' Day co-ordinates, plans and finalises every aspect of the event. Event managers usually start working months before the event. Sometimes, inorder to make the work easier, large event management companies hire the services of smaller companies on a contract basis.
Remuneration : An excellent field to make money…in fact once you start getting the feel of the field, it will never be a problem. Even freelancers today earn anywhere between Rs.30, 000 and above today. It is a very lucrative profession. Money again depends on the kind of events you handle. If you prefer to deal with weddings and parties it may easily come around Rs. 50,000 or even more. Event co-ordinators with a good deal of experience could earn even in seven figures.
Joining an event management company…. A person who enters into this field has to first join as a trainee. This person becomes the promotion co-ordinator. Event management companies nowadays hire lots of young people for this post. Very basic jobs in promoting the event is given to them. One could do this on a freelance basis also. The next job in this field is event co-ordination. The main job of an event co-ordinator is to supervise the various stages of planning in event management.
Skills Needed… In terms of educational qualifications, a graduation should be ideal though not much stress is laid on education. But there are a host of other qualities, which are essential for a person to be well-equipped in this field. These include:
Analytical/Critical thinking and problem solving - Analytical thinking, critical thinking and problem solving are abilities that are a must in this field. You should be able to acknowledge a problem, recognize that it has to be solved then and there, and always think on how the situation could be avoided in future. An event manage
Client/Customer service orientation - Client/customer service orientation is the ability to be client focused and committed to meeting the needs of your customer. An event manager has to be client focused, he must attempt to know the client's needs, he must be able to put them at ease while interacting with them, build trust and respect with customers and clients
Good negotiation skills - It is a general opinion that negotiating means underestimating the seller. On the contrary it is a skill in business which, when developed, makes you an astute minded businessman.
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines - An event manager should be able to handle pressures and deadlines at ease. Inspite of meticulous planning and arrangement, a small error or miscalculation can wreak havoc and disrupt the entire schedule. At such testing times, you should be able to remain calm and cool and perform your role as though everything is under control, so that others are not adversely affected.
Teamwork, facilitation and co-operation - Needless to say, one of the most important things here, is the ability to work as a team. You should not only know how to lead a team but also work with everyone and get the job done. You should be able to build efficient teams of people and facilitate their effectiveness. Always remember, "There is no 'I' in Team".
Planning, co-ordination and organisation - This involves the ability to effectively coordinate and organize oneself, others, information and/or situations at a personal and/or organizational level.
Good networking skills - An event manager needs to build up his own network and the more number of contacts he has the more successful he will be. Any kind of business can be only expanded through contacts and you must therefore have the skill and aptitude to go out and talk to people.
