Q&A for How to Become a Certified Event Planner

If you want to be an event planner, develop your organizational skills. Being an event planner takes a lot of organization and attention to detail. Don't lose sight of the big picture, but you also have to be good at managing the small picture, too. Even the smallest change to a detail can affect the whole event, so make a lot of lists, and quadruple-check every detail.

Maintain the ability to stay calm. Sometimes as an event planner you'll have to work with people who may be very emotional about what's happening, especially if something goes wrong. However, you have to stay grounded and not get involved in those emotions—just stay focused on making the event the best it can be.

To stand out as an event planner, be willing to work hard. If you want to become an event planner, try working as an intern for a while to see how it's done and to make sure you like it. What you see in event pictures is only about 10% of what an event planner actually does. There's a lot of hard work, and you can't be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Check your existing contacts for any known members of the organization you are interested in. Request sponsorship from known contacts. Contact the organization. Inquire as to the requirements for membership. Complete any applications and remit any membership or initiation fees.

In the United States, the average salary for an event planner is $46,840 per year. Annual salaries typically start at around $25,680 and with experience, can rise to $82,050.

No, it doesn’t matter. You can’t learn this business from a book; it's best to learn it through on-the-job experience. Business-related certificates might be beneficial to you, but they're not necessary.