Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Meet with sponsors and organizing committees to plan scope and format of events, to establish and monitor budgets, or to review administrative procedures and event progress.
• Maintain records of event aspects, including financial details.
• Promote conference, convention and trades show services by performing tasks such as meeting with professional and trade associations, and producing brochures and other publications.
• Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
• Plan and develop programs, agendas, budgets, and services according to customer requirements.
• Promote conference, convention and trades show services by performing tasks such as meeting with professional and trade associations, and producing brochures and other publications.
• Evaluate and select providers of services according to customer requirements.
• Monitor event activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise.
• Conduct post-event evaluations to determine how future events could be improved.
• Inspect event facilities to ensure that they conform to customer requirements.
• Hire, train, and supervise volunteers and support staff required for events.
• Design and implement efforts to publicize events and promote sponsorships.
• Read trade publications, attend seminars, and consult with other meeting professionals to keep abreast of meeting management standards and trends.
• Design and implement efforts to publicize events and promote sponsorships.
• Coordinate services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
• Direct administrative details, such as financial operations, dissemination of promotional materials, and responses to inquiries.
• Develop event topics and choose featured speakers.
• Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
• Hire, train, and supervise volunteers and support staff required for events.
• Organize registration of event participants.
• Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
• Meet with sponsors and organizing committees to plan scope and format of events, to establish and monitor budgets, or to review administrative procedures and event progress.
• Negotiate contracts with such service providers and suppliers as hotels, convention centers, and speakers.
• Obtain permits from fire and health departments to erect displays and exhibits and serve food at events.
• Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events, such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.
• Arrange the availability of audio-visual equipment, transportation, displays, and other event needs.

Skills

• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

Abilities

• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.

Knowledge

• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Education

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

×

Education and Training Opportunities

• Edmonds College
  20000 68th Ave W, Lynnwood WA 98036
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 425-640-1459
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://www.edmonds.edu/
  Program Name
  Meeting and Event Planning
  Length
  Certificates of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 year
  Award Level
  Certificates of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 year, Associate's degree
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Pay

Washington Annual Salary

66070/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

31.77/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

5,250

Yearly Projected Openings

700

Personality

Enterprising: People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business. They do well at jobs that need:

• Adaptability
• Stress Tolerance
• Self-Control
• Social Orientation
• Achievement Orientation
• Cooperation

Tools

• Desktop computers
• Multimedia projectors
• Notebook computers
• Overhead projectors
• Personal computers
• Public address systems
• Two way radios
• Videoconferencing systems

Technology

• Cloud-based data access and sharing software
• Customer relationship management CRM software
• Data base user interface and query software
• Desktop communications software
• Desktop publishing software
• Electronic mail software
• Facilities management software
• Financial analysis software
• Geographic information system
• Graphics or photo imaging software
• Internet browser software
• Network conferencing software
• Office suite software
• Presentation software
• Project management software
• Sales and marketing software
• Spreadsheet software
• Video conferencing software
• Web page creation and editing software
• Web platform development software
• Word processing software