- The U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics says that typically individuals with a bachelor's degree in some form of business management have greater opportunities in event and meeting coordination, however a formal education is not always required. Some event planners gain entry-level positions with an event-planner certification that can be earned by passing a certified meeting professionals (CMP) exam at a participating college. In some instances, you may be able to achieve success as an event planner based on your professional background, previous occupation and past experience without any related coursework whatsoever.
- Event planners hail from a wide variety of professional and educational backgrounds. If you have experience as an administrative assistant your organization, coordination and management skills may make you a likely candidate for event planning. Those with solid skills and considerable experience in customer service or the hospitality industry -- such as hotel employees, catering managers and marketing coordinators -- also find an easy transition into event planning.
- If you're going to start your own event planning business -- as opposed to applying to a company -- expect to make some sort of monetary investment to get started. The amount of your investment may vary dramatically according to the scale of your business. According to Entrepreneur magazine, the start-up cost for a a low-end home-based event planning business is about $8,050 in 2010. If you choose to operate on a larger corporate-like scale you can expect to spend about $31,110. In either case you will have to absorb the costs of essentials such as promotion, marketing, taxes, equipment, accounting, legal fees and insurance.
- Two of the most important requirements for any type of event planner or meeting coordinator are a flexible schedule and easy mobility. Organizing events and parties often requires evening or late night working hours while choosing, arranging and decorating event locations or overseeing the events themselves. Depending on your position, you may be required to travel to multiple sites like convention centers, arenas, banquet halls or entertainment venues. A vehicle, driver's license and ability to travel within a reasonable distance is a common requirement for event planners.
- People who have excellent social skills are often naturally inclined to succeed in such positions. You must exhibit stellar listening and communication skills to interact with clients and comprehend their specific event needs. Good time management -- and measurement skills -- are required to ensure that all events are properly timed and scheduled to go off without a hitch. Being naturally service oriented is an extremely important factor as event planners act as somewhat of a personal assistant to the event host with a common goal of pleasing guests.
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