If you're a planner and organizer, event planning could be a great career path for you. Below, we'll explain what it takes to become a certified event planner.
What is a Certified Event Planner?
A certified event planner is someone who is certified in planning, coordinating, and managing events.
This can include events such as:
- conferences and conventions
- corporate events
- fundraisers
- government events
- parties
- trade shows
- weddings
Event planning is typically divided into two broad categories: Meetings, Expositions, Events, and Conventions (MEEC) and Social, Military, Educational, Religious, and Fraternal (SMERF).
You can choose to specialize in just one category or cross into both.
Event planners can work for many different types of employers.
These may include:
- conference or convention centers
- corporations
- government
- hotels
- non-profits
- wedding venues
Many event planners are also self-employed or work specifically for event planning companies. Event planners often come from a variety of educational and employment backgrounds.
There is no set path to becoming an event planner, and event planners often start in smaller roles and work their way up.
How to Become a Certified Event Planner
Most states do not have any specific requirements for becoming an event planner. The steps below outline the most straightforward route to becoming a certified event planner.
Step 1: Earn a Degree
While you aren't necessarily obligated to earn a degree, there are many benefits to doing so.
Some certifications require you to have a certain amount of continuing education credits before you can take the certification exam.
Certifications may also require you to have a certain amount of employment hours in the event planning industry. Earning a degree can help you secure a job to gain that work experience.
Earning a degree can also help you develop the skills necessary to be a successful event planner.
Some common degrees held by certified event planners include:
- communications
- event management
- hospitality management
- human resources
- marketing
- public relations
Step 2: Gain Experience and Build a Portfolio
Gaining experience is one of the most important pieces to becoming a certified event planner. As you gain experience, you should be building your portfolio.
There are several ways to gain experience as an event planner and you can start while you're still in school.
Check around to see if any event planning companies near you are offering internships or hiring for entry-level positions.
You can also find roles in related industries, such as catering. Volunteering with non-profit events is also a great way to gain experience.
You can also start by offering to plan events for family members, such as baby showers, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, anniversary parties, and weddings.
This will help you learn how to navigate client demands while giving you a broad range of events to coordinate.
Step 3: Earn Certification
There are a few different agencies in the U.S. that offer certification for event planners. These certifications help distinguish you from other event planners.
Events Industry Council
The Events Industry Council is made up of over 30 member organizations within the events industry.
Their primary certification is the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification for meeting planning professionals.
Requirements include 36 months of full-time employment in the meetings industry and 25 hours of continuing education. Those with relevant degrees or internship experience may qualify for reduced requirements.
The EIC also offers specific certifications for sustainable event planning.
Event Leadership Institute
The Event Leadership Institute (ELI) provides continuing education and training programs online for event planners.
The ELI offers multiple certification programs. These programs offer hours that can go toward earning your CMP certification through the EIC.
These programs include:
- Advanced Event Design and Strategy: 6 weeks, 24 CMP hours
- Event Accessibility Strategist: 5 weeks, 8 CMP hours
- Event and Meeting Management Fundamentals: 10 weeks, 36 CMP hours
- Event Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategist: 7 weeks, 14 CMP hours
- Event Measurement and Analytics: 5 weeks, 10 CMP hours
- Hybrid and Virtual Event Director: 4 weeks, 8 CMP hours
- Technical Meeting and Event Production: 6 weeks, 9 CMP hours
ELI also offers training courses to help event planners launch and grow their own planning businesses.
International Live Events Association
The International Live Events Association (ILEA) is a body of event specialists from around the globe.
It's a way for industry professionals to connect and also offers a Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) certification.
There are three ways you can qualify for the CSEP exam:
- have a minimum of five years of full-time, practical event industry experience
- have a minimum of three years of full-time, practical event industry experience along with a letter of recommendation from a current CSEP holder.
- have a minimum of three years of full-time, practical event industry experience along with a one to two-year certificate from a recognized industry program.
The CSEP exam is an online exam consisting of 115 multiple choice questions. Upon passing, members need to renew their certification every three years.
What Skills Do Certified Event Planners Need?
Although there is not one educational or career path to becoming an event planner, there are certain hard and soft skills that will help you become successful in your job.
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is a necessary skill for event planning. Whether you're planning an event large or small, there are many things to keep track of and remember.
Being able to pay attention to the little things will ensure that nothing gets missed and that you're able to pull off the event to your client's exact specifications.
Budgeting and Finance
Anyone who's planned a wedding or similarly large party can tell you that staying within budget is often one of the biggest challenges.
As an event planner, part of your job is to fulfill your client's wishes while also managing finances and keeping everything within budget.
Computer Skills
There are many types of software available now that event planners can use to make their jobs easier. This includes software for budgeting, seating charts, and selling tickets.
Event planners also need to know how to use basic computer programs, like slideshows, spreadsheets, and word processors, to pull off their events.
Interpersonal Skills
Having good communication and interpersonal skills is a key part of being an event planner.
Event planners need to be able to develop a good relationship with not just their clients, but their coworkers and other vendors that they may work with routinely.
Marketing
Marketing isn't a priority for every type of event planning, but it's a helpful tool for several types.
For example, if you run your own event planning business, you'll need marketing skills to attract customers.
If you are an event planner for things like conferences and conventions, a strong marketing skill set will help you promote the event and sell tickets.
Organization
Like attention to detail, organization is paramount for an event planner.
Event planners have multiple things to coordinate, from guest lists to decorations to vendors, depending on the type of event planning.
Staying organized and on top of every aspect of the event will allow you to pull off a successful event that meets your clients' wildest dreams.
Become a Certified Event Planner Today
Certified event planners have exciting and rewarding careers. Contact Best Accredited Schools to learn more about how to become a certified event planner today.
