Meeting or Convention Planner

Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings. They arrange meeting locations, transportation, and other details.

Duties

Meeting, convention, and event planners typically do the following:

  • Meet with clients to understand the purpose of the event
  • Plan the scope of the event, including its time, location, and cost
  • Solicit bids from venues and service providers
  • Inspect venues to ensure that they meet the client’s requirements
  • Coordinate event services such as rooms, transportation, and food
  • Monitor event activities to ensure that the client and the attendees are satisfied
  • Review event bills and approve payments

Meeting, convention, and event planners organize a variety of social and professional events, including weddings, educational conferences, and business conventions. They coordinate every detail of these events, including finances. Before planning a meeting, for example, planners meet with clients to estimate attendance and determine the meeting’s purpose. During the event, they handle logistics, such as registering guests and organizing audiovisual equipment. After the meeting, they make sure that all vendors are paid, and they may survey attendees to obtain feedback on the event.

Meeting, convention, and event planners search for potential meeting sites, such as hotels and convention centers. They consider the lodging and services that the facility can provide, how easy it will be for people to get there, and the attractions that the surrounding area has to offer.

Once a location is selected, planners arrange the meeting space and support services, such as catering and interpreters. They negotiate contracts with suppliers and coordinate plans with the venue’s staff. They may also organize speakers, entertainment, and activities.

The following are examples of types of meeting, convention, and event planners:

Meeting planners plan large meetings for organizations. Healthcare meeting planners specialize in organizing meetings and conferences for healthcare professionals. Corporate planners organize internal business meetings and meetings between businesses. These events may be in person or online and held either within corporate facilities or offsite to include more people.

Convention planners plan conventions and conferences for organizations. Association planners organize annual conferences and trade shows for professional associations. Convention service managers work for hotels and convention centers. They act as liaisons between the meeting facility and the planners who work for associations, businesses, and governments. They present food service options to outside planners, coordinate special requests, and suggest hotel services that work within a planner’s budget.

Event planners arrange the details of a variety of events. Wedding planners are the most well known, but event planners also coordinate celebrations such as anniversaries, reunions, and other large social events, as well as corporate events, including product launches, galas, and award ceremonies. Nonprofit event planners plan large events with the goal of raising donations for a charity or advocacy organization. Events may include banquets, charity races, and food drives.

Exhibition organizers are responsible for all aspects of planning, promoting, and producing a display. They are also called exhibit managers, show managers, or show organizer.

Work Environment

Meeting, convention, and event planners held about 128,200 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of meeting, convention, and event planners were as follows:

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations             18%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10
Self-employed workers 10
Accommodation and food services 9
Administrative and support services 8

Meeting, convention, and event planners spend time in their offices and at event locations, such as hotels and convention centers. They may travel regularly to attend the events they organize and to visit meeting sites.

The work of meeting, convention, and event planners can be fast paced and demanding. Planners oversee many aspects of an event at the same time and face numerous deadlines, and they may coordinate multiple meetings or events at the same time.

Work Schedules

Most meeting, convention, and event planners work full time, and many work more than 40 hours per week. They often work additional hours to finalize preparations as major events approach. During meetings or conventions, planners may work on weekends.

Education and Training

Meeting, convention, and event planners typically need a bachelor’s degree. Some experience related to event planning may be helpful.

Education

Meeting, convention, and event planners typically need a bachelor’s degree. Although some colleges offer programs in meeting and event management, other common fields of degree include business, communications, and social science.

Planners who have studied meeting and event management or hospitality management may start out with greater responsibilities than do those from other academic disciplines. Some colleges offer continuing education courses in meeting and event planning.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

A number of voluntary certifications are available for meeting and convention planners. Although not required, these certifications demonstrate specific knowledge or professional expertise.

The Events Industry Council offers the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credential, which is widely recognized in the industry and may help in career advancement. To qualify for the CMP, candidates’ applications must include proof of experience and education. Those who qualify must then pass an exam that covers topics such as strategic planning, financial and risk management, facility operations and services, and logistics.

The Society of Government Meeting Professionals offers the Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) designation for meeting planners who work for, or contract with, federal, state, or local government. This certification is helpful for candidates who want to show that they know government purchasing policies and travel regulations. To qualify, candidates must have worked as a meeting planner for at least 1 year and have been a member of SGMP for 6 months. To become a certified planner, members must take a 3-day course and pass an exam.

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events offers the Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) designation, which demonstrates meeting professional standards for exhibitions and events management. Candidates obtain this credential by completing nine courses.

Some organizations, including the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners, offer certifications in wedding planning that may be helpful for attracting clients.

Other Experience

Meeting, convention, and event planners may benefit from having some experience in meeting and event planning. Working in a variety of positions at hotels, convention centers, and convention bureaus provides knowledge of how the hospitality industry operates. Other beneficial work experiences include coordinating university or volunteer events and shadowing professionals.

Personality and Interests

Meeting or convention planners typically have an interest in the Helping, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Helping interest area indicates a focus on assisting, serving, counseling, or teaching other people. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.

If you are not sure whether you have a Helping or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a meeting or convention planner, you can take a career test to measure your interests.

Meeting or convention planners should also possess the following specific qualities:

Communication skills. Meeting, convention, and event planners communicate with clients, suppliers, and event staff. They must have excellent written and oral communication skills and be able to convey the needs of their clients effectively.

Composure. Planners often work in a fast-paced environment and must be able to make quick decisions while remaining calm under pressure.

Customer-service skills. Planners must understand their clients’ needs. They must act professionally in a variety of situations, know how to keep an audience engaged, and help participants network with peers.   

Interpersonal skills. Planners must be good at establishing and maintaining positive relationships with clients and suppliers.

Negotiation skills. Planners must be able to negotiate service contracts to get good prices for their clients.

Organizational skills. To provide high quality meetings, planners must be detail-oriented and be able to multitask and meet tight deadlines. Many meetings are planned more than a year in advance, so long-term thinking ability is vital. 

Problem-solving skills. When problems arise, planners must be able to come up with creative solutions that satisfy clients.

Pay

The median annual wage for meeting, convention, and event planners was $49,470 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,170, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $96,230.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for meeting, convention, and event planners in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations             $56,620
Administrative and support services 51,530
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 47,410
Accommodation and food services 47,260

Most meeting, convention, and event planners work full time, and many work more than 40 hours per week. They often work additional hours to finalize preparations as major events approach. During meetings or conventions, planners may work on weekends.

Job Outlook

Employment of meeting, convention, and event planners is projected to grow 18 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 16,600 openings for meeting, convention, and event planners are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. 

Employment

Much of the projected employment growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession of 2020.

Event planners' services are expected to be in demand by people who want help organizing personal events, such as weddings. In addition, demand for professionally planned meetings and events will stem from businesses and organizations that host events. However, virtual meeting technology may dampen employment growth as virtual meetings continue to replace some in-person events.

For More Information

For more information about professional planning for meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and events, including information about certification and industry trends, visit

Events Industry Council

International Association of Exhibitions and Events

Society of Government Meeting Professionals

For more information about wedding planners, including information about certification, visit

American Association of Certified Wedding Planners

Association of Bridal Consultants

 

 

FAQ

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The career information above is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. This excellent resource for occupational data is published by the U.S. Department of Labor every two years. Truity periodically updates our site with information from the BLS database.

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