How to become an Event Specialist

What the Event Specialist does

The Event Specialist’s duties are different, as they depend on the entity he or she works for and the type of event he or she is called upon to attend.

However, its primary task remains the organization and management of events, aimed at promoting a product or service or increasing the brand’s presence in the market. Events, in fact, can be understood to mean a presence at an industry fair as a large concert.

Regardless of the type, the Event Specialist will be expected to take care of related administrative and management activities, starting from venue search to communication, coordinating the various teams and professionals who will be working at the event.

Its tasks include:

The creation and management of the events calendar;

The development of the event concept;

budget management;

The choice of location;

logistics coordination;

The organization of marketing and promotional campaigns;

The preparation of payments and invoices;

The management of relationships with suppliers;

security management;

The preparation of post-event reports.

The event organizer must oversee every aspect of the event: once it is organized, he or she must manage it by making sure that all promotional materials are set up as planned and that, at the end of the event, everything is dismantled and removed. As it unfolds, he will talk to guests to make sure everything is going as well as possible.

Finally, he will be called upon to evaluate the effectiveness of the event and-often-to brainstorm to discuss issues encountered and suggestions gathered so that subsequent events can be better planned.

In carrying out his or her duties, the Event Specialist will therefore work with other professionals, starting with Marketing managers and ending with the company’s accounting department.

How to become an Event Specialist

Currently, in Italy, there is no definite path to becoming an Event Specialist. Typically, those entering the profession have a degree in Public Relations, Marketing or Hospitality: however, even those with a high school diploma can become event planners, preferably after attending one of the Event Specialist courses organized by the many national or international providers.

Crucial, however, for an Event Specialist is to possess precise skills, such as:

Marked organizational skills;

Meticulous attention to detail;

Strong work ethic;

creativity;

Strong leadership skills.

Strong communication skills;

flexibility and adaptability;

Ability to manage resources and budgets;

Analytical skills to predict and identify trends and challenges;

They constitute an extra gear in the selection process:

Experience in event marketing or sales;

understanding of union and labor laws, and liability insurance;

A demonstrated ability to take the initiative and interact with professionals at all levels;

The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;

Knowledge of foreign languages.

Depending on the event, and the assigned project, an event organizer will then need to use specific tools: for this reason, he or she should be proficient in the Microsoft Office package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Internet applications (social media and Google Ads primarily).

If you would like to learn more about current occupations, if you would like to learn about the study paths to take and the skills needed for employment, check out our
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