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Leadership

Special-Events Careers

January 19, 2005 | Read Time: 3 minutes

Q. I’m currently a college student who volunteers with several different charities. The last couple of years, I have helped out with a local Relay for Life. I’ve gradually taken on more responsibility with this event, and I like helping with the planning, dealing with details, and spreading the word about it. What kind of jobs are there for things like this, and is there a specific degree that would best prepare me for these positions?

A. It sounds like you’re thinking about a career in special-event planning. Many charities employ people with event-planning skills, since these occasions are common fund-raising and donor-thanking tactics. Depending on a charity’s size, and the extent to which it depends on special events to raise money, it may have dedicated positions for event planning, or even positions dedicated to a specific event. In other organizations, special-event planning might simply be part of a fund raiser’s broader duties, and in some cases, the job is delegated to an outsider, which means that that there are also opportunities to work at companies that specialize in event planning, or even to hang out your own shingle.

In terms of academic preparation, some colleges and university offer programs in event planning; there are also professional certifications that you can get through meeting and event-planning organizations, says Linda Hamburger, president of On Call PR, a communications company in Deerfield Beach, Fla., that works with nonprofit organizations on event planning. (Learn more about training opportunities in this past edition of Hotline.)

You might also want to think about taking courses in a few ancillary areas that can come in handy in events planning, suggests KP Hendry, executive director of special events at the Captain Planet Foundation, in Atlanta, which supports environmental projects for children. For example, a course in set design through a local college’s theater program might be helpful, since you will likely be involved in designing a space for events, she says. Courses in public relations may also be useful, since you’ll likely be publicizing the events that you will be working on. “Digital media training is very important as most event-planning details will come to you via your computer, ” adds Ms. Hendry.

But while education is always helpful, there’s nothing like the experience you’ve already started to accumulate. Keep building your portfolio of volunteer experience in special events — and also start to think about where you would like to work. “My suggestion is to do as much as you can do with as many organizations that mean something to you, ” says Ms. Hendry. “Because it is not just a job you are looking for, it is a heartfelt career path which will consume your life if you are lucky. You had better love the focus of the organization you want to work for.”


Ms. Hamburger recommends that you log some Web time to get acquainted with the field. Here are a few of her favorite Web sites to get you started:

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