August 20, 2019
By Madison Howard
Event planning continues to be one of the most stressful jobs you can have. So, the question remains, why do it? There are long days and long nights. There is a certain thrill that comes with planning an event. As it gets closer and closer, the days begin to blur. It all leads up to that final moment, the big show. There are pros and cons to being an event planner and it takes a particular kind of disposition to excel. How do you know if event planning is the right profession for you?

Your Organizational Skills Are Unparalleled

Sticky notes, Trello boards, folders, you have them all. You have a place for everything, and everything has a place. If your friends comment on how neat and tidy your desk is, event planning might be for you. When planning an event, you have to manage a lot of moving parts. There are hundreds of conversations that have to happen, vendors to be paid, and people to wrangle. If organization has always evaded you, you might not want to go into event planning. 

You’re A Stickler For Schedules

If you’re someone who lives by a color-coded calendar and has their day planned down to the minute, this might be the right job for you. When planning events, you have to know to the second what should be happening and keep everything on track. And, you need to be able to get everyone else to stay on schedule. Success depends on creating a schedule that starts months in advance to get everything done in time.

You Live For Adrenaline

There are few things that can get your heart pounding like the feeling of being onsite when an event starts. Events keep your heart pounding and your feet moving. While you might not like to jump off of airplanes, if you love being on the move and solving problems, event planning could be for you.

You Have to Be In Charge

Has anyone ever complained about how bossy you are? Luckily, as an event planner, you can be. You have to lead a team to reach a goal, and to do so you have to take charge. If you have no problem shouting orders and making critical day-of decisions, you’ll thrive in the event planning world.  event planning team

You Want A Job That’s Never Boring

If you want to sit at a desk and follow the same schedule all day every day, planning might not be for you. Planning is nonstop. It involves travel and constant work. If you are a workaholic and like not being able to know what will happen one day to the next, you’ll enjoy event planning. There’s nothing boring about being a planner. From sorting out attendee issues to answering to stakeholders, there are new challenges to face at every turn.

You Love To Think On Your Feet

Murphy’s Law applies. If something can go wrong, it will. You have to be quick and make decisions that could make or break your event. There is no end to what can go wrong at an event, but if you are willing and ready to create a backup plan you’ll succeed. If you tend to freeze up when things don’t go according to plan, you might not be a great planner.

Should You Be An Event Planner?

Event planning is a wonderful, wild ride. It can take you places you never thought you’d be and you get to meet people you wouldn’t ordinarily get to meet. It’s stressful, nonstop, and work-life balance is nonexistent. But, you get to create an experience that attendees will never forget. You make something from nothing. Like every job, there are pros and cons. Are you cut out to be an event planner?

Want more? We've got more! Check out this post to learn more about event planning as a career.

Madison Layman

Madison Howard

A graduate of the College of William and Mary, my passion for writing began before I could read, with a nightly verbal diary dictation transcribed by my obliging parents.

When I'm not writing, you can find me binge-watching TV shows, baking elaborate desserts, and memorizing pop culture facts.

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