Event Management
Event management falls broadly within the hospitality sector. Event managers are responsible for the organisation of events, which might include charity fundraising, exhibitions, fairs, conferences, concerts, weddings, musical festivals and product launches. Event managers might cover all of these types of events, or specialise in one specific area.
You might also be interested in careers within leisure, travel and tourism.
What does an event manager do, and where could I work?
Event managers are responsible for planning, organising and delivering a wide range of events, working closely with clients from the initial concept through to successful execution on the day. They coordinate all aspects of an event to ensure it runs smoothly, on time and within budget.
Key responsibilities include meeting with clients to understand their requirements and expectations, developing event plans, and managing budgets effectively. Event managers research and secure suitable venues, negotiate contracts with suppliers and contractors, supervise a team and oversee all logistical arrangements.
In many cases, they are involved in promoting and marketing events to attract attendees and maximise engagement.
Events Industry: Key Areas
- Business and Brands
- Sports
- Exhibitions and Congress
- Outdoor Events and Festivals
- Weddings and Private Events
- Music and Live Performance
- Local Authorities and Charities
- Education Sector
offers an insight in to career paths within the events industry.
Spotlight On: Event Management
Whether you're already exploring this path or just starting to consider it, this session will help you understand the sector and how you can break into it.
Speakers
- Laurie Spears, Corporate Events Manager at the 糖心原创
- Charlie O'Neil, Event Producer at Bearded Kitten
- Nick Sutton Smith, Events Manager at The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
- Alumni: Email us to gain access to the webinar
Is it similar to public relations (PR) and marketing?
Events management and hospitality roles are careers in their own right, but there may also be overlap with PR and marketing.
Event management can be an important part of public relations and marketing, as a key tool for promotional and sales activity e.g. exhibitions and trade fairs, or to generate publicity. Events may also be linked to sponsorship deals, in which case PR professionals will manage image and reputation by the use of communications and gaining press interest in events their clients are involved with.
Marketing focuses on the positioning of a product or a company in the market and on the identification and advertising of the distinctive aspects of the product or service, so again, events can be a crucial element of the marketing plan.
Events managers will also need to understand PR and marketing techniques in order to ensure the target audience for their events are engaged and communicated with effectively.
How can I find work experience?
Relevant experience, either paid or voluntary, and knowledge of the industry is essential to enter this competitive field.
Ideas for experience could be at festivals, private business, wedding venues, sporting organisations, the charity sector etc.
Research organisations in your region and consider time you can offer. As well as this, consider what you could do at university to gain experience, for example organising the end of term ball or a fundraiser for a university society.
- Showsec Home - employ stewarding staff but also look for local companies
- Volunteer for societies at UoNSU
- Look out for relevant opportunities via the Nottingham Internship Scheme
- Look for part-time on campus roles and paid temporary roles with organisations based outside the university
- Connect with relevant companies on LinkedIn
- Experience in and taking short courses within project management would be valuable
You could book a careers appointment with us to get help with identifying work experience opportunities.
Where do I look for vacancies?
LinkedIn is an effective way of finding contacts within the industry, you can also find events roles on . You could also try making targeted, speculative applications to companies. Book a careers appointment if you would like to find out more about speculative enquiries.
Sector specific job sites
There are also events recruitment agencies such as and .
Another good way to find vacancies or work experience would be looking at the charity sector, where fundraising events are often organised:
- - advertise events vacancies nationwide.
Also check out opportunities within which advertises event roles too.
What skills do I need to emphasise on my application?
Working with clients is key, so your communication and customer service skills are very important. You may wish to highlight skills in listening, problem-solving, negotiation and relationship management.
Events management also requires you to be highly organised, with excellent planning skills and attention to detail, time-management, and the ability to multi-task and work under pressure.
You will also be called upon to be an effective team-member, showing additional skills such as flexibility, tenacity, and problem-solving. Additional skills are resilience and a sense of humour to manage the ups and downs of orchestrating large scale events.