How do you become a party planner?

How do I become a party planner...?

• I have the school picked out but... 1. what do I do after school? 2.What is the best area to live in? 3.How do I start off? 4.How much will I make at first? 5. DO I work under some like I was an employee or do I run myself. 6.Can I have some advice?

• Answer:

  Realize that right now the event planning industry is taking a huge hit with the economy. Many of the planners I work with are cutting staff and moving to smaller offices. A lot of planners I know are starting their own freelance businesses because there isn't enough work (which sounds weird, but it's what's really happening in the business). There are associations and networking groups for event planners that you should check into: http://www.ises.com/ http://www.acpwc.com/ http://www.eventpeeps.com/ Check out BizBash - the largest events appear in their magazine and on their website: http://www.bizbash.com/ They are a great resource and host a job listing service for the events industry, including internships which will be the biggest help for you in getting started. You should also look into the certification programs you will need for what you want to do (ex. CMP - Certified Meeting Professional, CSEP - Certified Special Event Professional). You should also sign up for LinkedIn (it's free) and join some of the event planning groups on there so you can see what's happening in the industry and start to make connections. That is the best thing for you in terms of getting jobs later. Who you know, and who you can get to mentor you, will be key to being a success in the industry. www.linkedin.com