Should I be a special events coordinator?

Have you ever wondered who's the mastermind behind events like the Super Bowl, celebrity weddings, or award shows?

Are you eager to move your party-hosting skills outside of your own living room?

If you've answered YES to these two questions, then becoming a special event coordinator might be the right career for you!

Special event coordinators bring the vision of their client's event to life (e.g. weddings and fund-raising events) through planning and organizing, making sure it runs smoothly from beginning to end.

They work closely with the host and/or event planner to make sure everything happens as desired and scheduled.

No experience or training is required to be a special event coordinator, but experience is valued.

Opportunities for Experience:

• Completing a degree in event management, hospitality, or a similar field

• Event planning certificates or certification courses

• Obtaining an internship

• Volunteering

Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash

• The average salary of an event coordinator in the US is $61,315.

• The average salary of an event coordinator in Canada is $63,200.

There is often confusion between the roles of event coordinator and event planner.

Generally speaking, the planner makes critical decisions regarding what, when, who, and how. An event coordinator, on the other hand, is responsible for making sure all the details are executed and that each vendor shows up on time and performs appropriately.

Most event coordinators work alongside an event planner, while some coordinators also plan the event. This usually depends on where you work and the size of the event.

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

Check out this Byte — Should I be a wedding planner? — to learn about one type of event planning.

There are multiple types of event coordinators. These include:

Corporate Event Coordinators

• Event management companies hire event coordinators to run the events they're hired by big corporations to organize and plan.

Conference Coordinators

• Companies hold conferences or seminars around the country. Their event coordinators organize with the hotels, speakers, and caterers to make sure the conference runs smoothly.

Hotel and Venue Coordinators

• Hotel and venue event coordinators work with their clients to host events at the venue that stay within the budget and meet expectations.

Non-Profit Event Coordinators

• Large non-profits run many events each year to raise money for the organization. These coordinators do a lot of planning due to the smaller budgets available for these events.

👍 You're a leader.

🗣 You're highly communicative.

📕 You're organized and detail-oriented.

✌️You're good at multitasking.

😎 You're calm under pressure and able to think on your feet.

Think about another career path if...

🎯 You prefer to focus on one thing at a time.

🙈 You consider yourself to be shy or introverted.

🙅 You prefer not to be the one in charge.

🗓 Organization isn't your thing.

• Varsha loves to travel. Her friends appreciate traveling with her because she keeps the group on track with their itinerary.

• Brian often texts his friends right before a big game and has them come over and bring chips and drinks.

• Sara is very organized and keeps track of everything in her detailed bullet journal. She is very shy, especially around people she doesn't know.

• Gael is outgoing and loves to meet new people. His friends call him "The Juggler" because he's involved in so many things and somehow keeps track of everything he has to do.

Does being a special events coordinator sound like a career for you?