Event Manager Jobs Overview
Concerts, culinary festivals, and conferences are just some of the gatherings that event managers work on. Event manager jobs focus on fulfilling the needs and objectives surrounding a specific happening. This includes organizing and coordinating the arrival of audio and visual equipment, food, signs, and transportation vehicles.
Event managers work in a variety of settings, including offices and the actual venues, such as hotels and convention centers, where they plan and manage events. Depending on whether your employer provides local, national, or global services, event management may require you to travel. During events, you’ll readily work extra hours to ensure that everything from sponsor coordination to budget oversight runs smoothly.
Event management often requires a bachelor's degree in management or a similar subject. Due to the growing demand for in-person conventions and gatherings, the job outlook is strong. Event managers and planners can expect an 8% increase in demand during the next few years.
Event Manager Jobs: Salary Range
Earnings for event marketing managers range from $44,115 to $86,702 annually, earning a median salary of $62,355 per year. Event planners receive a median salary of $21.42 per hour, with the earnings ranging between $15.21 and $31.74 an hour. The cities with the greatest demand for event planners include New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and Washington, DC.
Finding out your true value is a matter of studying comparable salaries. To explore average salaries for other careers related to event management, use the Monster Salary Tool.
Finding Event Manager Jobs That Fit You
If you want to find satisfying work as an event organizer, it helps to have a plan. Asking yourself certain questions while you check out event manager job descriptions will help you zero in on a role that is a good fit for your skills and experience:
- How does the company support your event planning, management, and marketing efforts?
- How does the company increase attendance and income at its events?
- Will the job help you collaborate with well-known speakers and sponsors?
- Do you think this job will help you make more connections?
Tips for Applying to Event Manager Jobs
Your chances of getting an interview for an event manager position will increase if you attach a well-written resume and cover letter to your application. Make sure your next application gets you an interview and, perhaps, a job offer by following the tips below.
Application Preparation
Applications for event manager jobs often require you to fill out a form explaining your work history, skills, and qualifications. Always make sure to carefully read the instructions on the application, and fill it out properly, as hiring and recruiting managers will use the information to determine if you qualify for the position.
In your application, list your relevant experience and education as well as any other qualifications. Remember to double-check everything for spelling and grammar before you submit.
As is the case in any industry, hiring managers look for candidates who possess certain skills. The following are some of the most sought-after skills and qualifications that employers look for when filling event manager jobs:
- creativity
- decision-making
- collaboration
- influencer marketing
- budgeting
- communication
- time management
- networking
- organizational
- venue marketing
Create a Strong Resume
Building a solid resume helps increase your visibility to potential employers. When writing resumes for event manager jobs, keep these guidelines in mind:
- Use a chronological approach for your resume if you have extensive experience as an event organizer.
- Use a functional resume structure if you have the necessary abilities and qualifications to be an event manager but limited employment experience.
- Use a combination resume if your abilities, credentials, and job experience in event management are extensive and varied.
- Emphasize your past work in event management. Give concrete examples of previous events you have planned and executed.
- Demonstrate your proficiency in planning, allocating resources, and keeping others informed.
- Be sure to highlight your adaptability and ability to multitask.
- Show your progress in numbers by highlighting how much revenue you helped generate for past events.
- Use strong, impactful action verbs.
- This sample event coordinator resume might help you write your own.
Hiring managers frequently use applicant tracking software to recruit people for jobs in event management. Using resume keywords is an excellent way to ensure recruiting managers can easily find your application. Adding resume keywords relevant to the field of event management is also critical for standing out as a qualified candidate:
- consulting with clients
- attention to detail
- creative thinking
- booking venues
- event promotion
- supplier and vendor collaboration
- digital media
- social media
- project management
You can improve your chances of getting the hiring manager's attention by tailoring your resume to the event manager jobs you apply for. To receive a custom-tailored resume for an event manager job, use Monster's Resume Writing Service.
Create a Cover Letter
When applying for event manager jobs, it's a good idea to include a cover letter with your resume. Although not required by many employers, an event manager or event coordinator cover letter might help you get an interview because it showcases your enthusiasm and qualifications for the job.
Your cover letter is an opportunity to make a good first impression. When putting your cover letter together, remember to:
- Provide a brief summary of your background as an event organizer, highlighting the venues you've worked with and how you've helped them succeed.
- Include a paragraph detailing your experience and training as an event manager.
- Add one paragraph explaining why this job fits well with your long-term professional objectives.
- Put in a request for the recruiting manager to get in touch with any further inquiries.
Submit the Application
Monster makes it easy to apply for open event manager jobs and for recruiting managers to find your profile. Submit your application, and publish your profile when you join Monster for free!
Application Follow-Up Strategies
Companies use a variety of methods to find and choose new employees. Regardless of their recruiting and hiring processes, you can increase your chances of securing an interview by following up after sending an application.
How to Follow Up
Professionals recommend waiting five to seven business days before sending a follow-up email to ensure the hiring manager has had enough time to study your application. It's also recommended to check the job listing's application instructions to find the hiring manager's email address to send your follow-up note.
Event Manager Interview Tips
As the need for event managers grows over the next several years, the pool of potential candidates will narrow. That's why it's crucial to make sure you're well-prepared for your interview.
Interview Preparation
Researching the company's culture and management style is the first step in getting ready for an interview for the position of event manager. After gathering information, you should decide whether you share the same values as a potential employer. Use these strategies to obtain a job offer after deciding an organization is a suitable match for your long-term career objectives and accepting an interview invitation:
- Have a friend act as your interviewer.
- Prepare a story to present to the interviewer that exemplifies your enthusiasm for event management.
- Write out everything you want to know about the job, from the sponsors and influencers you'll be working with to the vacation time and compensation you may anticipate.
During the Interview
A hiring manager will most likely get in touch with you via phone or email to arrange an interview. You should ask about the interview's structure so that you can be ready for it. The interviews will often take one of two forms: competency-based, in which the interviewer probes your knowledge and abilities, or behavioral, in which they probe your interpersonal skills.
The type of interview the company uses will dictate the kind of questions they ask. Typical competency-based interview questions for event manager jobs include:
- Can you describe a time you had to use digital media software to promote an event?
- What kinds of tools do you prefer to use to schedule events?
- Can you describe a time you had to reschedule an event and how you went about it?
Since event managers work with countless people every day, some companies prefer behavioral-based interviews. Behavioral-based interview questions to expect for event manager positions include:
- How do you prefer to work with venue suppliers?
- Can you describe a time you had to work with vendors who didn't want to follow your instructions and how you dealt with it?
- What is your process for requesting venue supplies when the client doesn't agree?
After the Interview
It's crucial to follow up with a potential employer after an interview for an event manager position to ensure that your name, application, and interview are still fresh in the mind of the interviewer or hiring manager. The most efficient approach to accomplish this is to send a thank-you email to the interviewer within 24 hours of the interview. If you want to send a thank-you message to your interviewer through email, you can either look in the application's guidelines or contact the company's human resources department.
Getting an Event Manager Job Offer
When receiving a job offer, you can showcase your interest in the position and how much you would love managing events in your response. You don't have to respond to a job offer right away unless otherwise indicated in the offer itself.
As you carefully consider the offer, it's important to receive clarity on any questions you have, especially those relating to the job duties and offered salary and benefits, before making a decision. Make sure the information you need to negotiate your salary comes from reliable sources.
Career Paths for Event Managers
Many individuals enter the field of event management to eventually move on to other fields. Among the most well-known are:
- Wedding planner: Help engaged couples by locating suppliers and negotiating contracts to ensure a successful wedding day.
- Events producer: Manage logistics for an event, develop marketing strategies, book guests and performers, and help ensure the event goes successfully.
- Sports event planner: Bid on events, entertain sponsors, interact with media outlets, arrange travel and housing for the team, and collaborate with stakeholders.
Event Manager: Related Professions
Managers of events are well-suited for a wide range of closely connected careers. Related fields include the following roles: