General Tips, Your Event Career
The Pros and Cons of Working as an Event Planner
Event planning is a lucrative and exciting industry that offers many benefits. However, like any other career, it has its ups and downs. In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of working as an event planner.
We hope that after reading this article, you’ll be motivated to pursue your dream career as an event planner, and enroll with QC Event School to pursue your professional certification training. So, on that note, let’s jump in!
Benefits of Working as an Event Planner
There are many benefits to working as an event planner. Here are a few of the most notable:
Pro #1: Flexible Hours
One of the best things about this career is that you have a lot of flexibility in terms of your hours. You can work part-time or full-time, depending on what works best for you. Moreover, you can also choose to work evenings and weekends, if that suits you better.
Many of QC Event School’s graduates choose to launch their own event planning businesses once they’ve completed their program(s) and received their internationally-recognized certification(s). When it comes to flexibility, the beauty of running your own business is that YOU get to call the shots! You can work as many or as few hours as you want. Not to mention, you can also choose to work during times that are best for you and your clients.
Pro #2: Endless Variety
Another benefit of working in this industry is that you have a lot of variety as far as the types of events you can plan. For example, you can choose to specialize in weddings, parties, corporate functions, or social gatherings. The possibilities are endless!
As an event planner, you also get to work with lots of different types and kinds of clients. Some clients may be straightforward and easy going; others may be more demanding, with higher expectations for their event. Typically, though, most clients simply want someone who is organized, reliable, and capable of taking charge.
This way, they won’t have to worry about anything on the day(s) leading up to their big occasion!
Pro #3: Creative Opportunities
As an event planner, you have a LOT of creative opportunities to showcase your talent. You can be as creative as you want to be when it comes to designing invitations, selecting menus, arranging flowers, choosing event decor, and so much more!
Many event planners also enjoy styling events. This means that you’d take care of the overall look and feel of the event, in addition to organizing it. From the table settings, to the lighting and music choices – you’d handle it all! If this is something that interests you, then being an event planner is definitely the career for you.
Interested in adding decorating/styling services to your event planning business? Learn more about QC Event School’s Event Decor certification course here!
Pro #4: Meeting New People
One of the best things about this career is that you get to meet lots of new people. You’ll be working with clients, suppliers, venue staff, and all sorts of other professionals who are involved in putting on events. Sometimes, as an event planner, you’ll also have the opportunity to attend events as a guest. This is a great way to see how other planners have styled different events, and get some ideas for your own future projects.
And last, but certainly not least, you’ll also get countless opportunities to network and make connections that could help your career down the road. Networking will be critical for your success because, as an event planner, you’ll often need help from other professionals in order to pull off a successful event.
Pro #5: Helping Others
It’s a great feeling when you know that you’ve helped someone make their event special. Arguably, as an event planner, there’s no better reward than seeing the joy on your client’s face when they thank you for making their day flawless! This is one of those careers where you have the unique ability to make a real difference in people’s lives. You can help create memories that’ll last a lifetime, and ensure that your clients’ celebrations go off without a hitch.
Thus, if you’re the type of person who gets great joy out of making others happy, this is ABSOLUTELY a career field that’ll bring you endless fulfillment!
So, to summarize: if you love being organized and planning unforgettable events, then becoming an event planner is the perfect career for you! While we could be here all day discussing the benefits of working as an event planner, 5 of the most popular reasons why people choose to pursue this career are the flexible hours, variety of events, creative opportunities, chances to meet new people, and the opportunity to help others.
Negatives of Working as an Event Planner
While there are many benefits of working as an event planner, it’s not all fun and games. Like any other career in the service industry, this job does have its downsides, too! So, let’s get real for a moment…
Con #1: High Stress Levels
Working in this field can be stressful at times. There will always be clients who demand perfection from you and expect you to work miracles within their budget constraints. You’ll also find that some people don’t understand how much time planning events takes.
As a result, they might question your billable hours or rates during contract negotiations (or even after they’ve hired you!). Additionally, if something goes wrong on the day(s) leading up to an event or during the actual occasion, you likely will hear about it from your client.
For this reason, event planners need to be able to deal with stressful situations in a calm and professional manner. Yes, this means even when they’re feeling panicked inside. Having excellent negotiation skills is also extremely helpful in this line of work, as is knowing how to communicate effectively with clients who are upset or dissatisfied.
Con #2: Working Long Hours (as Well as Weekends/Holidays)
If you decide that working as an event planner is the right career path for you, then get ready for some long days on the job! Event planning isn’t just a “day” job… It’s a lifestyle! As such, you’ll often find yourself working weekends and holidays, since most people want their events to take place on a Saturday or Sunday.
While you can certainly choose to turn down weekend and holiday projects, the reality is that not doing so will limit your career opportunities as an event planner. This is because most people want their special occasions (such as weddings or birthday parties) to happen during a time when guests are more likely able/willing to attend. And if that’s what they want, then it’s up to YOU as their planner to make it happen!
Con #3: Paperwork and Managing The Little Details
When planning events with clients, there are always tons of little details involved in making sure everything goes off without a hitch. Such details include:
- Finding the perfect location for an event
- Hiring vendors and negotiating contracts with them on behalf of your client(s)
- Managing RSVP lists
- Organizing guest seating arrangements at a dinner or reception (with their dietary preferences in mind), etc.
While these tasks may seem small compared to some other parts of planning events, they take up lots of time and require organization skills. You’ll need to be able to keep track of all the information for each event you plan, so having strong attention to detail is critical! Overall, being extremely organized and detail-oriented is key for any aspiring event planner who wants success in this industry.
If working with details tends to make your head spin, then event planning may not be the right career for you.
Con #4: Limited Earning Potential (At First)
One of the main negatives of working as an event planner is that your earning potential is usually limited at the start of your career. This is because most people who hire professional event planners will be hesitant to shell out a ton of money on someone who’s just starting out in the industry and hasn’t yet earned their stripes.
Because of this, it’s not uncommon for brand-new event planners to work for free, or at very low rates, in order to gain experience and build their portfolios. While there’s nothing wrong with doing this early on in your career, it does mean that it can be difficult to make a living as an event planner when you’re first starting out. So, you may need to have a second job – as your primary source of income – during the beginning phase of your event planning journey.
But don’t get us wrong – this isn’t to say that you won’t be able to make a killer income as an event planner eventually! Rather, it simply means that you’ll need to work hard and market yourself effectively if you want to earn enough to eventually make this your full-time job.
Con #5: No Two Events Are Alike
As an event planner, you’ll quickly learn that no two events are alike. This is what makes this profession so interesting and unique! While some aspects of each event might be similar (planning a wedding vs. planning a corporate function, for example), every single occasion will have its own set of specific challenges and requirements.
Now, for many, this is actually a perk of the job. But for others (especially those who are new to the industry), it can sometimes be overwhelming, as they might feel like they’re constantly having to learn on the job. The best way to overcome this is by accepting that there’s no one perfect solution to any event planning challenge. Instead, try to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions that’ll work best for your clients.
Furthermore, this is one of the MANY reasons why it’s important for you to first get professional certification training before launching your career. After all, event planning is not for the faint of heart! It requires lots of determination, focus, organization skills, and patience. Having a proper education under your belt will help to ensure that you’ll be ready for the challenges ahead.
Plus, it will also boost your credibility as an event planner!
Interested in learning more about the wide variety of internationally-recognized courses we offer here at QC Event School? Check out our full course list here!
So, what do you think? Is event planning the right career for YOU?
The pros and cons we’ve outlined today are just a snapshot of what you can expect if you decide to become an event planner. It’s important to remember that this industry is constantly evolving. So, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends.
That’s where QC Event School comes in!
We offer world-class education and training, as well as internationally-recognized certifications, so you can be confident in your skills as an event planner. Join our free Virtual Classroom on Facebook today to learn more about our courses and how we can help get you started on your new career path!
