The glamour of the events industry attracts a large number of candidates, all trying to become event managers. But how do you take your first steps in this competitive industry? We’ve reached out to our intern, Taylor, to provide her advice for those starting out on their events journey. Currently, in her third year studying Events Management at Bournemouth University, Taylor’s passion for events has shown in her jobs, spare time and university degree. Now well on her way to a successful career, she shares her top tips. START AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE Not everyone is fortunate enough to know their career objectives when approaching their first job. If you do, try to incorporate elements of your desired industry into your jobs from the get-go. These first experiences of the working world are vital for your future development. Waitressing, bar work, stagehands – these jobs will all begin to build your essential knowledge and skills necessary for the events industry. Although you will not obtain any management experience at this stage, observing and learning from all that is around you will only be of benefit. How to correctly set and serve a dinner table, what amount of staffing is needed and how to communicate with guests; learn this as early as possible and it will place you one step ahead in the future. Golf clubs are ideal places as they encompass all of the above elements. VOLUNTEER FOR EXPERIENCE For hands-on involvement, the best place to start is with volunteer positions. No pre-determined experience is required, meaning you can easily start building up your portfolio. Companies are always looking for volunteers to assist with their events in all different capacities. Even the biggest brands offer these opportunities. Find the correct company and you will be able to add prestigious names to your CV. Not only is volunteering great for working with top brands but also the experience you gain. Every event you help with will provide a different perspective of the industry than the one previously; take up every as many of these opportunities as possible. Think of all the elements that encompass the events industry from operations to AV, management to creative design and get experience across the board. Having such a widespread understanding will be an asset to you. EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT SECTORS Corporate, private, brand, educational, fundraising, experiential – there are so many sectors of the events industry it’s hard to know where to start. They all have a different focus and require a different skill set; so unless you try each one individually, you won’t know your preference. Trying different sectors of the industry will, therefore, save you time by specifying the experience you need and narrowing down your future job search. It will also give you realistic expectations of what this career entails. EMBRACE YOUR DEGREE Whether your degree is in Event Management or more generalised, make the most of your time in these educational facilities. The access to information and direct contact with experts in the field will develop your understanding and fully prepare you in a professional capacity. Some degrees will also provide the opportunity to create your own event, giving you control of every element from ticket sales to its breakdown when guests leave. Event managers will appreciate the work taken to undertake such a task as will demonstrate your understanding of the event process from start to finish. Of course, a degree is not essential in this industry, experience is paramount so build this up as much as possible and you will soon establish your place. TAKE A PLACEMENT YEAR Halfway through your degree or post-university, a placement year comes highly recommended. This is the chance to fully learn the responsibilities of an event manager but in a safe environment. Employers will look at this experience in a positive light as you will be able to prove your talents. At our London events venue, we offer our interns serious responsibilities in order to advance their abilities. Responsibilities can entail organising small events, greeting VIP clients, room supervising, working alongside the operations team during events, food service and many more. The reason for this is simple; the more experience you gain, the more your confidence will grow. We know that this will set each of our placement students up for a successful career in the events industry! The proof is certainly in the pudding as many of our interns return to come and work with us full time. For more information contact Taylor from the events team.