An event planner is responsible for the initial organization stages of a social event, deciding on all the services and personell that would be required and arranging the proper people to handle them. Event planners are commonly hired for occassions such as weddings, parties and other large-scale events. An event planner may work either alone or permanently for a given company, though it’s more common for them to work on a freelance basis. Some event planners choose to specialize in organizing certain types of events, like weddings. An event planner will frequently work with a closely-associated team of professionals in other areas – photographers, entertainers, caterers, etc.
Becoming an event planner requires no higher degree of education in most cases, and when it does, a Bachelor’s usually suffices. The more important aspects for getting the job are related to one’s personal traits, such as the ability to handle large, complex tasks efficiently, being very communicative, and having a wide circle of acquaintances in different professional areas, in order to provide a complete service for their clients when it’s needed.
Event planners earn more than event coordinators, due to their job being more involved and demanding. The median salary for 2009 was $51,000, and the upper limit is around $67,000. Overall, the job offers some very attractive bonuses and benefits, though the salary can be affected very badly in cases of mishaps (unlike the salary of event coordinators, who have a bit more freedom in under performing).