How To Become A Party Planner

Party or event planners coordinate and manage parties, conferences, and meetings.  Some planners specialize in organizing a certain type of event such as organizing weddings. Many planners have their own business, but some may work for the event planning agencies. The nature of the work is such that the planners have to work long and irregular hours.

How To Become A Party Planner

Education
Party planners do not require a specific degree but certain skills are essential for a successful career. These skills can be developed with the help of a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, marketing, and hospitality. Some hospitality degree programs also let students specialize in event management. Professionals who have a bachelor's degree in some other field could acquire event planning education with the help of event planning and management certificate program. Some core courses offered in this program include event coordination, professional ethics, and risk management. Some courses are offered for students to specialize in certain areas such as sports events, wedding planning, and entertainment events.

Work Experience
Party or event planners enter the profession by gaining experience in a related field. They may start working as a catering coordinator and plan smaller events, under the supervision of experienced planners. As they gain experience and acquire the planning skills, they could start their own business. Event or party planners gain a majority of skills through practical experience. Planners who start their work from small organizations have many learning opportunities as they take on many different tasks.

Online Education
Students looking to be party planners could acquire online education for a bachelor's degree in hospitality or other related fields. They may also enroll in certificate programs in hospitality or event management, with the help of online education. Online education is a convenient way of acquiring education, as it enables students to have a lot of flexibility, and saves time and additional costs associated with on-campus education. This is also a great option for people who want to acquire event planning education while keeping their full-time job.

Party Planner Job Description

A party planner typically performs the following duties:

• Meet with clients and understand the purpose of the event
• Plan various aspects of the event such as time, location, schedule, and cost
• Look for bids from service providers such as florists and photographers
• Look for places that meet the client's requirements
• Coordinate services related to the event such as rooms, transportation, and food
• Interact with the onsite staff for the coordination of details
• Monitor the event to make sure the client and other people in the event are satisfied
• Keep track of the event bills and make payment

Career Outlook And Salary
There is a positive employment outlook for party planners. Their employment opportunities are likely to grow by 44 percent from 2010 to 2020. This growth is much faster than the average of all professions. The median annual wage of the event or party planners was $45,260 in May 2010.