</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>3. Create your own event portfolio</h2>
<p>Now that you have valuable experience under your belt, it’s time to create your event portfolio. This is something that you should have in its most basic form during the job hunt process as well, but it makes the most sense to put a lot of your time and effort into it in this step, now that you have legitimate experience to showcase.</p>
<p>Your portfolio is essentially your resume, but you’ll want to include many elements that a resume typically doesn’t house. Important pieces to include are photos of your past events, testimonials from clients and guests, and any materials that you designed, like an invitation, schedules, and brochures. It is also a great idea to highlight anything that you were able to overcome, like budget issues, time constraints, outlandish requests, and more! Make sure your portfolio includes all of your proudest accomplishments, and don’t forget to continue to build it up as you gain even more experience!</p>
<h2>4. Get certified</h2>
<p>The last important step you should complete is obtaining as many certifications that are necessary to your specific field. Just like your degree, certifications aren’t <em>always</em> mandatory, but they will help you immensely, especially with how competitive the market is.</p>
<p>Here are a few certifications that can help you:</p>
<p><strong>Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Relevant to meeting, exhibition, and convention planners</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Relevant to local, state, or federal meeting planners</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Relevant to those who are looking to learn and develop professionally within the industry to increase performance.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Relevant to hospitality, catering, and event planners.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Certified Quality Event Planner (CQEP)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Relevant for entry-level event professionals looking to learn event fundamentals.</li>
</ul>
<p>There are many more certifications than the general ones listed here. Talk to experts in your field to understand which certification is best for you.</p>
<h2>Average event planner salary</h2>
<p>The event industry is tricky to pinpoint average salaries. Typically, the caliber of your portfolio and years of experience reign supreme when determining your monetary value.</p>
<p>Another point to note is that event planners work in a variety of different ways. You can be an independent, or freelance event planner, work for an event agency, have an in-house role planning events strictly for your company, or you can even have a general marketing title with a focus on event planning.</p>
<p>According to Glassdoor, the average salary for an event planner in the United States is $50,688 with a range of additional potential earnings of $636 - $13,106. This range should not be relied on, but it is important to note that an event planning career is within the greater hospitality industry. This means that tips, commission, and performance bonuses are likely.</p>
<p><img src="https://learn.g2.com/hubfs/Event%20planner%20salaries.png" alt="Event planner salaries" width="550" style="width: 550px; display: block; margin: 0px auto;"></p>
<p>The possibilities seem endless, and the variation of titles creates a huge range of salary outcomes. Remember, these salaries are just averages. With <em>a lot</em> of hard work, dedication, and creative talent, there is truly no telling what your potential earned salary can be as an event planner!</p>
<h2>Career advice from current event planners</h2>
<p>Becoming an event planner is easier said than done. Sure, you know the proper steps to become one, but being <em>successful</em> takes <em>a lot</em> of time and practice.</p>
<p>To give you a leg up, I asked current event planners to share their best career advice they would give to those aspiring to break into the industry for the first time.</p>
<p>Here’s what they said:</p>
<h3>Get out of your comfort zone and network</h3>
<p>“Early on in your event planning career, you will be forced to do a lot of things that fall outside your comfort zone. Working in this industry will help you learn a lot about yourself, and you may need to develop new personality traits to achieve success.</p>
<p>If your personality leans more introverted and reserved, get ready to challenge yourself and make friends in every corner of the industry. It’s easy to lose focus on your goals if networking doesn't seem natural, but I can tell you from experience that it is the most fun and rewarding part of this industry.</p>
<p>Building great relationships with other event professionals will be crucial to the immediate success of your career. I know that I wouldn't have been able to develop an impressive client roster without reaching out to every single person in my existing network.”</p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><img src="https://learn.g2.com/hubfs/HARO1.png" alt="HARO tip 1 " width="550" style="width: 550px; display: block; margin: 0px auto;"></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><strong>- Wiliam Griggs, CEO, <a href="http://www.virtualrealityrental.co/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">VirtualRealityRental.co</a></strong></p>
<h3>Find a positive mentor</h3>
<p>“I didn't <a href="/how-to-find-a-mentor" rel="noopener" target="_blank">find my first mentor </a>until eight years in, and I wish I'd done it sooner. When you're starting out in event planning, especially as a small business owner, there are so many moving parts (branding, marketing, communication, budgeting, and much more). It helps to have guidance from someone with the experience you're looking to gain. The right mentor can advance your growth far quicker than trying to figure everything out on your own!”</p>
<p><img src="https://learn.g2.com/hubfs/HARO2-1.png" alt="HARO tip 2" width="550" style="width: 550px; display: block; margin: 0px auto;"></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 17px;"></span><strong>- Serena Holmes, President & CEO, <a href="https://tigriseventsinc.com/" style="font-size: 17px;" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Tigris Events</a></strong></p>
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<td style="width: 100%; padding: 4px; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"><strong>TIP:</strong> You'll need to have a constant stream of new <a href="https://designwizard.com/blog/events/the-100-most-effective-event-marketing-ideas-of-2019/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">event marketing ideas</a> to succeed as an event planner. </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h4>Ready to plan some events?</h4>
<p>A career in the event industry is challenging, yet <em>so</em> rewarding. Did you know that almost 90% of event planners love their career? It’s true! Making someone’s dream become a reality is something that truly never gets old. So, what are you waiting for? Use these steps to get you started as an event planner and take the career advice seriously. It’s what will catapult your career in the right direction.</p>
<p><strong>Do you want to learn even more fascinating <a href="https://www.g2.com/articles/event-industry-statistics" rel="noopener" target="_blank">event industry statistics</a> like the one above? Read 107 more here! </strong></p>
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