Be confident of what you are selling: Event Manager

What is the best way to enter this profession?
Event management is an exciting and growing industry, a unique career for people who have a passion for planning and organising events. A good social network and the zeal to do something unusual are key to this industry. Event management companies nowadays hire lots of young people.

In terms of educational qualifications, graduation should be ideal. But a host of other skills are essential for people in this field.

These include:
.    Analytical/ critical thinking and problem solving: A must in this field. You should 
     be able to acknowledge a problem, recognise that it has to be solved then and there,
     and always think on how the situation could be avoided in future.
.    Client/customer service orientation: This is the ability to be client-focused and 
     committed to meeting the needs of your customers. n Negotiation skills: You need 
     lots of it, to deal both with clients and with the managers of the celebs you want for 
     the event.
.    Ability to work under pressure: One should remain calm and cool and work as
     though everything is under control, so that others are not adversely affected.
.    Teamwork: One of the most important things here is the ability to work as a team.
     You should not only know how to lead a team but also work with everyone and get 
     the job done on time.

.    Planning, co-ordination and organisation: This involves the ability to effectively
     co-ordinate and organise oneself, others, information and/ or situations at a  
     personal and/ or organisational level.
.    Good networking skills: An event manager needs to build his network. And the
     more contacts he has, the more successful he will be. Any kind of business can be
     only expanded through contacts. One must, therefore, be able go out and talk to
     people, and maintain that acquaintance.

Why should someone choose event management as a career?
An event manager is responsible for managing an event from conception to staging. The responsibilities in brief are venue selection, logistics, budgeting, design, negotiation, marketing, ticket sales, customer service and managing people.

Managing events successfully requires careful planning, attention to detail and patience. It requires creativity, the ability to think out of the box and a strong personality for leading a team.

Time management, resourcefulness, communication and passion are the basic requisites for this line.

If you have an appetite for challenges and would love to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where no two projects are the same, a career in event management will suit you.

What do you need to reach the top rung in this field?
One needs confidence with clear goals and knowledge of what one is selling. Only then can one inspire one’s staff and win the confidence of clients. To be successful, avoid “comfort zones”.