What does an Event Manager do, exactly?
A career in event management is far more than organising a few family parties, or fronting a welcome lunch for a new co-worker. The job involves more than venue selection and decor decisions.
It’s an event manager’s job to ensure everything related to an event is taken care of, from idea conception to programming and day-of logistics. An event manager is also charged with creating experiences and bringing visions to life, which means stirring multiple pots – at the same time.
To understand what event managers do, you first need to know what is event management.
Event management is the organisation of any scale of events, which could be personal events like weddings and parties, or business to consumer (B2C) / business to business (B2B) events like festivals/carnivals and conferences or tradeshows.
Event management may refer to any part of the organisation and management within the event such as idea conceptualisation, choosing suppliers, establishing timelines and managing the event on the day itself.
Now that you have a broad picture of what event management is, let’s see how does an event manager role come in.
An event manager is THE person who is in charge all goes to plan and achieves all of the event objectives originally set. The event manager often works on behalf of a brand or organization and is the key person who ensures that the event runs smoothly.
Therefore, it is essential for an event manager to have certain skills:
- Great Interpersonal Skills
Working with a team and other people is essential for an event manager in order run an event successfully. Therefore, the manager must have the ability to tell and listen without any issues. It is also important to understand what the client needs and find ways to fulfil those needs or come up with alternatives. Developing interpersonal skills is a necessity so as to manage the team or communicate effectively.
- Flexibility
Nothing is cast in stone when organizing events and things can change at a drop of a hat. Hence, an event manager should be flexible to take these changes in stride and adapt accordingly. You need to be ready to face any sort of challenge and think on your feet. If you have always been flexible when dealing with work situations, you are carved to become an event manager. - Keen Eye for Details
Do you find yourself constantly delving into matters and looking at minute details, trying to get everything right? Well, it is the small things that matter and this is a much needed trait for an event manager. With a keen sense of observation, this can prevent small things from blowing up and turning into big issues. Attention to detail allows you to ensure that everything is properly organized and in place for the event.
- Passionate and Enthusiastic
This is an innate quality and people are often born with this quality. It is only then they can excel in their chosen line of work. As a successful event manager, you have to be passionate with a positive mindset. This allows you to be productive and overcome obstacles that you face while organizing events. - Tech Savvy
Technology has helped and shaped event management tremendously over the recent decade, so it goes without saying that it plays an integral role for every event manager when planning an event. With the help of modern technology, things are done faster and more efficient. Accessing to a wide range of event management software, such as event ticketing software, venue management software and more that will definitely make work easier.
If you possess the above qualities, it is an indication that you are quit a fit for an event manager. So, hop onto event management with enthusiasm and discover the myriad possibilities of running events and experience a fulfilling and exciting career in this industry!