One of the things I learned really quickly, when listening to the pros tell their ‘road to success’ stories at Conferences, is that there really are no overnight successes – everyone has to start somewhere and for most of us, even those celebrity planners you admire, that is at the bottom. Yes a wedding or event qualification, like the one you are gaining via the Academy (or plan to sign up for) will help you to stand out in front of a potential employer, but there are also other things you can be doing to get some experience to add to your Resume. Today we have 5 suggestions for how you can get an events job with no experience.
Network
One of the hardest things about looking for a job when you are starting a new career, is that you are not on the ‘inside’ yet. If you have never worked in the industry, you won’t know anyone or have any connections. Networking can help to change this. Attend networking events and join online networking groups to meet other people in the industry so you can start to make valuable connections.
Find a Mentor
A mentor can help to point you in the right direction when it comes to who you should be connecting with and where to look for job opportunities. They may even be able to set you up with work experience, or casual work so you can get that first experience of the industry. Many of our students have found Mentors simply by networking within the Academy community, but you can also try those Networking groups we have also suggested you join. If there is a professional you particularly admire and who you think may make a great Mentor for you, contact them. There is no harm in asking and most people in our industry are very supportive and will help ‘newbies’ where they can. They were new once too!
Focus on the Skills you have
Whether its on your Resume/CV or when meeting people in person, draw attention to the skills and experience you already have and that can be applied to working in weddings or events. Work within our industry draws on a broad range of traits, skills and experiences. Make sure you know which ones suit the types of roles you are looking for and highlight these. For example; customer service, hospitality, sales, retail merchandising, communications are just some of the skills valued within the events industry.
Pro Tip: You must have a GREAT Resume/CV to stand out when applying for jobs or introducing yourself to prospective employers. If you are not confident in being able to put one together for yourself, hire a professional to help. The investment is worth it!
Register for Freelance Sites
Event Managers often have to look outside their employee base to put together teams for their events. Very often they are looking for people of all different skill levels, which makes this type of work ideal for you if you don’t have experience. Do some research via Google and find Freelance sites that include Event Management and get yourself registered.
Volunteer
This is an oldie but a goodie. There are so many wonderful community organisations that survive because of volunteers. Many of these organisations hold regular events to help with awareness and fundraising. You may have to start at the bottom, but if you are looking to gain experience, volunteering for these types of organisations is an ideal way to get it, along with a reference for your Resume/CV. When looking for organisations to offer your services to, focus on ones that do regular events or events that are similar to the type of work you would like to eventually do.
These are just some of the ways you can gain experience of working in events. Do you have some suggestions to share? We would love to hear them. Simply add your tips to the comments.
Courses
Could a Wedding or Event Course help you to get your first job sooner? Talk to one of our experienced Course Advisors to find out more. Simply select the online campus nearest you to talk to us about your career.
Further Reading
5 Ways to Revamp Your Resume
Download our Free Guide to Writing a Resume/CV for the Events Industry
The Pros & Cons of Video Resumes
Nailing a Job Interview in the Events Industry
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