How to Become a Certified Party Planner

You can build a career planning and coordinating parties. A certified party planner has an eye for detail, ability to budget well and terrific organizational abilities. Become a certified party planner to establish credibility and develop skills. Travel, irregular hours and strong communication skills are part of a party planner's career.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. If you are still in high school, become part of the prom planning committee. Ask the teachers on the committee to write you a letter of recommendation to put in your career portfolio.

2. Apply for and work for a catering company that specializes in party catering. Ask the boss for a letter of recommendation after you have worked a minimum of six months.

3. Enroll in a four-year college and earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in hospitality management, communications, public relations or business.

4. Join several clubs and organizations at your college campus. Volunteer to lead the groups and committees for planning of club activities. Ask the staff members for letters of recommendations.

5. Call your local Chamber of Commerce to obtain a listing of event planning professional organizations in your area. Select and join two of these. Attend regularly and become an active member.

6. Contact the Convention Industry Council to ask for an event-planning certification study guide. Study the guide and review weak areas to strengthen them.

7. Fill out the application from the Convention Industry Council to take your certification exam.

Tips & Warnings

• Your extracurricular event-planning activities in high school will give you a jump-start for a career in party planning. Volunteering enables you to build up hands-on experience. Obtain many letters of recommendation for event-planning experience. This will help you obtain a job faster.
• You will need to show community involvement and party-planning experience on your certification exam application.

References

• Convention Industry Council
• Bureau of Labor Statistics

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Earn your degree from industry experts at University of Phoenix. Take the next step in your career.