How to Become an Event Planner in New York
Event planning is a popular career choice for detail-oriented people, and some areas are prime locations for this type of work. Big cities are a great spot for event planners to set up shop since parties, conferences, and other major events usually abound there. One of the hottest spots for landing these gigs is New York City. If you're interested in entering the competitive event planning industry in New York, follow a few steps for a better chance at success.
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Things You'll Need
- High school diploma or equivalency (in some cases)
- Internet connection or proximity to college campus
- Industry experience
- Portfolio of previous work
Instructions
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Assess your potential for event planning. This position requires a commitment to being detail-oriented, multi-tasking, being creative, working with budgets, and having professional communication skills. It's important to sit down and determine if you are up to the challenge.
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2
Take a course. Plenty of online courses are available, but many colleges in New York City and surrounding areas offer certification programs or continuing education courses on the topic. Look into becoming certified at one of these locations such as New York University, Nassau Community College in Garden City, and CUNY College of Technology in Brooklyn. Some event planning training might be included in hospital management courses. Some programs require a high school diploma or equivalency. The Sheffield School in New York City also offers a wedding and event planning course.
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Get experience. Acquiring hands-on experience in event planning can take on many forms. Join a fundraising committee at a charity or within your own current workplace or community. This will help you gain valuable planning experience and make important contacts.
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Meet other planners by joining a professional group in the area. Pick up valuable industry tips and network with other planners. Eventheadquarters.com is a great resource for information about the New York Event Planners (NYEP) forum.
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Assemble a portfolio of your experience. This should display examples of events that you have planned or assisted in planning. Pictures and letters of recommendation are appropriate samples. Your portfolio can contain professional events as well as volunteer planning including family events or work with a fundraising committee. You might also want to add samples of ideas for future event planning.
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Start your business. If you're not ready to go out on your own, contact a local event planning firm to ask about interning or even volunteering with them to gain more experience and make contacts before transitioning to on your own.
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