Has the Covid crisis has made you think about your professional future? Or made you wonder about the job of Event Manager?
👉 For many, this has been a time of reevaluation, and in particular, reevaluation of how happy we are with our work. Everyone aspires to get up in the morning for a job that they enjoy and that they have a genuine interest in.
The world of event management is reinventing itself, but the possibilities remain endless. The sector is growing, and when we look at job offers, we notice that Project Managers on permanent contracts are the most sought after, ahead of Project Coordinators and Digital Project Managers.
Are you convinced that the job of Event Manager is for you? Read our article on the qualities needed to be a good Manager.
Now, ask yourself, how do I figure out which part of event management is right for me?
Working in an agency, for an advertiser, or as a freelancer is vastly different. Which one suits you best? This article discusses 5 questions that will help you make the choice that’s right for you. 🤔💭
1. What types of projects do you want to work on? ✨
Your projects will differ depending on the structure you will be working in. Working at an advertiser, you will usually organize internal events such as seminars, trainings, or even conventions. You will have to reach precise objectives and KPIs on company projects that you will follow up on in the long term. The types of events are repeated and followed from year to year, serving the company's missions. Thus, you will establish long-lasting relationships of trust with your service providers, with whom you will work on a recurring basis.
In an event agency or communication agency, you will respond to calls from various clients, belonging to very different sectors. You will be confronted with more varied projects, and your tasks can also be diverse: logistics, production, service provider relations... your ability to create strong proposals and your creativity will be put to the test. You’ll need to be coming up with original concepts, but also have your finger on the pulse of what your competitors are doing.
With the title of independent or freelance, you can work with agencies or with an advertiser but above all: you choose your projects. An attractive amount of freedom, but it comes at a price!
2. What level of independence do you want? 🔒
At an advertiser, your proposals usually have to be green-lit by your superiors. The scope of action is more restricted, the pressure is greater, and your project perimeters are more narrow than as a freelancer.
It is a reality, the freelancer has an attractive level of freedom and independence but with high responsibilities and an obligation of result, defined contractually.
In an agency, the level of independence is also important. You can manage your working time autonomously and have a large amount of freedom to choose your partners. On the other hand, you are often bound by a large set of specifications.
3. Do you favor job security? 👩🎓
As an employee, job security is one of the strong arguments for working at an advertiser or in an agency, where you have benefits: a fixed and regular salary (maternity leave, recuperation of working time...).
On the other end of the spectrum, the freelancer generally has the status of auto-entrepreneur or EURL and has to invoice his clients. Freelancers must manage formalities, accounting, and contributions. All of this without being able to guarantee a salary at the end of each month. An autonomy that requires more perseverance, organization, and determination.
4. Do you prefer teamwork or individual work? 👔
At an advertiser or in an agency, you are part of a team and can rely on your colleagues. The spirit and often relaxed atmosphere of agencies can also be a real springboard to boost your projects, thanks to the team spirit and the feeling of belonging to a group. 💪
On the other hand, enjoying the solitude of individual work is essential for working as a freelancer.
Don’t worry, freelancers don’t always work alone. There are projects where you’ll be asked to join forces with an existing team to carry out the design and organization of the event. You can also call upon your own network to build a complete team for the client project.
5. What kind of lifestyle do you want? 🤔
A smaller team means a less formal atmosphere, more varied missions, and a more creative but also more cut-throat environment. That is the daily life of an Event Manager in an agency.
At an advertiser's, the framework is generally more structured and formal, but you will benefit from the advantages of large groups (possibilities of career advancement important social networking, benefits in kind, a wide choice of training...).
As for the self-employed, they have the ability to manage their personal and professional environment more easily: less conventional schedules, independent management of projects, and choice in working hours. However, the investment time is generally higher, since there’s a greater pressure to produce results, as your reputation is at stake. When you are self-employed, you are the product!
It's up to you to define what suits you best, depending on the life and career you want to have, your personality, and your work habits.
Conclusion
As in all jobs, what you put into a job is what you’re going to get out of it. So above all, don't forget the most important thing: look for a sector that you like and that inspires you! 🕵️
3 options are available to you: work in an agency, with an advertiser, or as a freelancer. Regardless of the environment in which you will work, your final objective remains the same: to be faithful to your clients' requests, to respect their specifications and deadlines, and therefore succeed in producing a great event! 🌟
Our advice 💡 : Build up experience at first with the advertiser or in an agency, then as a freelancer if that's what you want. This will allow you to have more credibility in front of your clients!
As far as salary is concerned, an Event Manager earns between 1800€ for a beginner profile and 3000€ in the middle of his career and up to 6000€ if you are senior. Bonuses are sometimes awarded for successful projects. Obviously, the salary depends on the sector of activity and the size of the company. 👔 Some sectors have an easier time recruiting Event Project Managers, thanks to their high budget: the pharmaceutical and health sector, the banking, finance, and insurance sector, or the tech industry and the IT sector.
Some sites to guide you in your job search:
- Freelance: Upwork, Freelancer and Malt.
- Agency: Monster and Glassdor.
- At the advertiser: Indeed, or look at the offers directly on the sites of the groups that interest you.
💪 So, ready for new challenges?
