As the title implies, meeting planners may plan and manage a variety of meetings from intimate seminars and conferences requiring a room, a lunch, and a slide show to massive conventions, trade shows, and symposiums involving thousands of participants.
The profession is a relatively new one, and today's meeting planners come from a varied background. Most of the "pioneers" in meeting planning entered the meetings industry "through the back door" they had jobs with limited planning responsibilities that expanded over the years until meeting planning became a major part of their job function. Even now, most meeting planners do not simply plan meetings full-time, many are also responsible for some combination of communications, public relations, marketing, general administrative, and other such duties.
But as meetings have become more important and expensive to the business world, a new breed of meeting planners have emerged well educated individuals who have entered the industry through the front door and have every intention of making their careers as meetings professionals.
The meetings field is highly competitive, and well educated, aggressive individuals who plot strategies for obtaining planner positions are usually the ones who are successful. A key part of that strategy is determining what sort of qualifications potential employers are seeking in their meeting planners, then
Typically, meeting planners entering the profession today possess a four year college degree with an emphasis on business. Their written and verbal communication skills are impeccable, as is their ability to make quick decisions and interact with all types of people.
In addition to these "basic" requirements, knowledge of the travel industry would be most helpful. And you must be ready and able to take frequent business trips. If you have an eye for detail and organization and can work well under pressure, meeting planning can be a very interesting career choice.
The Job off a Planner
Meeting planners have a wide variety of duties. Depending on their specific job responsibilities and the complexity of their organizations' meetings, meeting planners typically:
- Prepare budgets
- Select meeting sites and facilities
- Negotiate group rates for accommodations and all transportation (both air and- ground)
- Develop meeting programs and agenda
- Book reservations for participants
- Develop meeting specifications and secure actual meeting space
- Obtain and coordinate any entertainment
- Plan food and beverage functions
- Coordinate production of any printed and audio-visual support materials
- Administer the meetings on site once they are underway
Preparation and Opportunities
Effective meeting planners are versatile, well-educated individuals who know how to function as businesspeople first and meeting planners second. So a four-year college degree preferably one in business administration with an emphasis on marketing, management or communication is recommended, if not virtually mandatory. Some colleges and universities offer degree programs in hotel/motel management that may include elementary meeting planning courses. Such a program may well be a helpful way to build a planning knowledge base.
Getting Started and Getting Paid
Although the specific responsibilities in any sample of planner jobs will still vary quite significantly, entry-level planner salaries usually average in the low twenties. Add some experience and these salaries can progress relatively quickly. For example, the average salary for U.S. planners in 1991 was $34,580.
Current hiring practices for even entry-level planner positions show that, applicants with experience, any experience are getting the jobs. How do you get experience if you're still a full-time student? Here are a few ideas:
- Find a part-time or summer job working for a hotel that is active in hosting meetings.
- Start in a clerical or administrative position with limited planning responsibilities at an association or corporation that plans a number of meetings.
- Find an internship or get a first job with a planner who is willing to be a mentor.
- Volunteer to plan activities such as office parties, church outings and other civic organization events.
Virtually every U.S. association or corporation has one or a group of individuals planning its meetings. These individuals may not have the job title "meeting planner,"
Tina Berres Filipski is director of publications for Meeting Planners International and editor of MPI's monthly newsmagazine, The Meeting Manager. MPI is the largest educational association of meeting professionals with more than 10,500 members in 32 countries. It is committed to excellence in meetings, international growth, education, research, chapter, and high ethical standards.
