How to get experience in the events industry

Posted by on March 11th, 2020

So how do you get events experience to add to your cv when job hunting? Most job applications ask for at least 1-2 years events experience but how do you get this when just starting out?

I often get asked for advice on how to get events experience so here are my top tips:

– Organise and host your own event. This could be a charity fundraising event to raise funds for a chosen charity or a meet up or a cake sale or a fun run or a garage sale. How about an outdoor cinema night or your friend’s hen party or a wedding for a relative? Put on your own events for friends and family such as pop up cake stalls, street parties, film nights, dinners. They all count as events experience. When including the details on your cv or cover email or job application, focus on the event management aspects of these events such as managing the budget or finding an unusual supplier or overcoming any difficulties that arose on the actual day of the event.

– Volunteer at a charity, not for profit or social enterprise. These types of organisations often hold events but have not funds to pay for an Events Manager to organise them. National charities such as Oxfam or local based charities such as ACT in Cambridge all organise events which you could offer to assist with. Community organisations such as the local Scouts also organise events that you could help with. Any event experience is excellent for your cv and doesn’t matter if it was unpaid or volunteer work.

– Join an agency that provides staffing for events. Agencies often need staff for short term contracts to work at a range of events such as weddings, dinners and parties. You will be working in the thick of things and really see the day to day running of events.

– Look for an internship or secure work experience. Draw up a list of event management agencies near to where you are based that you could contact and ask for work experience and/or job opportunities.

Posted in: Events

Samantha Salisbury has been working in events management for over 20 years. Her event management career started at the old Wembley stadium. She has since managed events all over the world covering sectors including sport, academia, pharmaceuticals, banking and public sector.

Email: [email protected]