I recently participated as a presenter on a career panel at the George Washington University (GWU) School of Business for students in the Master of Tourism Administration program. The session was hosted by Meeting Professionals International's Potomac Chapter (PMPI) Student Relations committee.
During the discussion, we received a question from a student who asked how it was possible to get a job as an event professional if they didn't have the required experience or certifications posted in the job description. This student was a mother, full time employee, and a graduate student. She had more than 15 years of professional experience in another field yet met road blocks for even entry level positions due to listed requirements. It was a timely and relevant question but certainly not a new issue facing recent graduates or experienced professionals making the transition into a different field; and it isn't specific to the event industry.
For years employers have required a certain level of experience, skills and education for positions that were seemingly junior or entry level. Let's face it, employers will always have a wish list and with the economy in such a fragile state, can have their choice of candidates that possess all if not more of what they state the job "requires". That doesn't mean that if you don't meet each of the requirements you can't apply. The first hurdle you need to clear is a mental one...do not limit yourself! There are ways to get noticed even if you don't have each of the bulleted qualifications.
These are some steps you can take that will help you get your foot in the door when applying for your first event planning role as a student or experienced professional.
Join - Student memberships are usually less than $100 and professionals looking to make the move into the event world should first ask their current employer if they will cover the cost and if not, reach out to membership departments and ask about scholarships and how to qualify for reduced tuition.
Attend events and participate on a committee - By attending education and networking events and volunteering on committees, it shows prospective employers that you've made a commitment to the industry, willing to learn, and can collaborate with others. The more involved you get, the more comfortable you will feel eventually moving into a leadership role.
Here are a few of the associations geared towards meeting and event professionals on the planning side.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
International Special Events Society (ISES)
Event Planners Association (EPA)
National Association of Wedding Professionals (NAWP)
American Association of Certified Wedding Planners (AACWP)
National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)
2. Seek Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
According to an article in Forbes magazine, volunteering is the perfect way to get your foot in the door of an industry or field in which you may lack significant experience. Volunteering also differentiates you from other candidates and can push your resume to the top of the pile. Help manage registration activities at a charitable fundraiser, staff the exhibit hall at a county fair, promote and market local sporting events, or organize the logistics for a community arts festival. Volunteering IS experience!
You can find volunteer opportunities here:
Idealist
Volunteer Match
DC Metro/Northern VA - Volunteer Fairfax
3. Not certified yet? Fake it until you make it!
The job posting requires a certification. Problem is, you're still working toward it. Now don't take this as me advocating lying about having a certification when you don't. Even if you don't yet have enough points to sit for a certification exam, there are in-person and online prep courses that you can take just for your benefit and knowledge. Add this training to the professional development area on your resume. When an employer notices you've invested the time to take a prep course, it shows you are serious and you may be considered a much stronger candidate because of it. Also, many courses count as credits towards your application getting you one step closer to being eligible to sit for an exam.
CMP Online Prep Course through PCMA
CMP Online and In Person Course through MPI chapters/online
CSEP Prep and Exam Information
CPCE Exam Information
American Association of Certified Wedding Planners Training
Key:
CMP - Certified Meeting Professional
CSEP - Certified Special Events Professional
CPCE - Certified Professional Catering Executive
4. Use Social Media Marketing to Brand Yourself
Are you networking in groups, with colleagues, and prospective employment managers on LinkedIn? Do you share industry information and articles on Twitter or Facebook? Are you writing your own or commenting on others' blogs and collecting event inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you're halfway to hired!
You have to brand and market yourself just like you would a company. You are in control of how employers view your online persona. Don't get caught off guard unaware of what shows up when a prospective employer searches your name online. Create your own results!
Your online presence can also be tied into your Klout score; a number from 1-100, assigned based on your activity on social networks. It essentially measures your influence and could become as valuable as a credit or SAT score to some social media savvy employers. Read more about social HR in Forbes.
This is by no means and exhaustive list but it is a start. Have other suggestions you can pass along to those new to the industry? Add them to the comments section below!
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