If you want to know why event professionals love what they do, the best place to start is to ask them. We put together a list of essential event management interview questions and queried a panel of senior event organisers from some of the world’s most recognisable brands about what they love most about their jobs.
Their answers reveal why event management is one of the most varied, exciting, and rewarding career choices. Keep reading to discover how some of the most successful event professionals find their inspiration.
Why work in events? Leading event planners answer this question
To find out why working in event management is such a fulfilling career option, we asked seasoned professionals to reflect on their personal experiences, traits, and ambitions.
Starting with open-ended questions like “what are the benefits of doing event management?”, we moved on to more in-depth explorations of which aspects event planners love most. Here are some of the most revealing responses:
1. Variety
One of the main reasons people love event planning is the scope of their jobs. No two events are the same, with different demographics, products, and locations constantly changing to meet the needs of a new project.
Toby Heelis, CoFounder at Eventopedia
“Variety is the spice of life, and working in the events industry allows us all to see a huge amount of creative talent. Events can be an amazing expression of the event manager’s personality, and there are not many industries that encourage this personal expression more than ours. I also love interesting properties and I am lucky to see some of the most amazing spaces every week.”
Anna Maloney, Creative Director, Annamal Productions
“I love working on events as they’re a chance for people to come together and share their collective passions, be it music, arts, dance, or educational workshops. It’s a powerful experience to see live performances and I enjoy meeting artists from all over the world. Events make people happy and are inspiring. That’s the magic – organising them is less fun but worth it when you see the results!”
2. Bringing people together
There’s something magical about getting a good group of guests together for a common purpose. Whether they’re bonded by altruism, professional interest, or simply the desire to have fun, a successful event can inspire people to act in a way other initiatives rarely manage.
Tommy Darker, music entrepreneur and former CEO at Whiise and Kenophania)
“Events bring people together in a physical space; they bond people and give them something tangible to talk about. The communal feeling helps people take inspired action, and that’s why I love organising events.”
Mark Jennings, Events Marketing Consultant (spirits industry)
“When you have a passion for something, enough to put on an event, at first, that’s enough. But then to see people sign up for that event, and have a great time and want more, that’s an incredible feeling. I’ve run many, many events since that first one, but I still get a buzz seeing guests have fun and come back with their friends. Seems my hobby is their hobby now, and it’s changed my life.”
3. Creating experiences
Don’t underestimate the transformative aspect of events management. While most people can invite a group of individuals to meet, event planners earn their salt by taking the simple things – a collection of people, a venue, a common goal – and turning them into something extraordinary.
Giedrius Ivanauskas, Founder/Editor-in-Chief at Made In Shoreditch Magazine
“I love organising events because with every event you create experiences that people will remember. It is a chance to steal a little piece of someone’s heart and tell the story of your brand in the most human way – by not pushing something at them but taking them on an emotional journey.”
Juraj Hulab, former Marketing & Content Manager at Slido and CoFounder at Remote People
“There are three reasons why I love working in the events industry:
Firstly, events are about bringing people together and creating powerful experiences. And amazing things happen when people meet; they learn, inspire one another, come up with new ideas, and sometimes they even change the world. Being an event professional, it’s thoroughly rewarding to enable people to come together and see them develop.
Secondly, there is so much potential for growth in the events industry. Many of its areas are like green fields waiting for disruptive ideas. If you think about it, present-day conferences look almost identical to those organised 150 years ago and that calls for disruption. So if you have an idea, this is a field to plant it.
And finally, being an event professional means being very, very, lucky. I know the job can get painfully stressful but otherwise we are privileged to work across the globe, visit stunning venues and meet truly inspiring people from across many fields. I’m very grateful for having the privilege to be part of this stimulating industry.”
Ed Poland, Cofounder at Hire Space
“Events mean that the unique, historic and characterful venues we represent are shown in their best light. There’s nothing like seeing a blank canvas transformed into a stunning environment for a memorable event, and, with abundant imagination in the industry, we see this unfold on a daily basis. It’s always inspiring for us at Hire Space.”
4. Rewarding work
Event organisers usually aren’t just social butterflies. Brands know why event management can be such a powerful marketing tool: organisers need to be experts in testing approaches, delivering results for campaigns, and analysing feedback. It’s a high-intensity role that can be enormously fulfilling.
Paola Feregrino, former Marketing Manager at Wahaca and Director at UK Mexican Arts Society
“I love working in events because that is when you can really see the impact your marketing campaign prior to the event has had, how excited people are, and what they are most looking forward to. You can really get a taste of what makes people tick, what they love and what they don’t so much.”
Mark Thomson, UK Brand Ambassador at Glenfiddich
“So – why I love to work in events – well, I like people, and crowds, and I’m a marketer and a showman so I need an audience. However – the reason most probably would be that I have a passion for something and love to share that with others. It pleases me to see people get a glimpse of another world and like it.”
5. Community benefit
The power to deliver social good is an established part of why people choose to work in events. Engaging the community to benefit the less fortunate is a compelling argument when considering the reasons for events.
Kathleen Cassidy, former UK Manager at Food Assembly
“It’s events that bring people together, foster relationships, and create lasting change. At The Food Assembly, we work with local people to host weekly events that assemble local producers and customers. It’s these gatherings that catalyse huge shifts in society in terms of how we eat and shop. This is why I love working in events: they are a powerful and fun way to make positive changes in the world.”
Suzanne Noble, Founder at Frugl
“I love working in events because I like helping people discover great things to do that don’t cost a fortune! Being a real culture vulture myself and a bargain hunter, working on Frugl is a way of combining my own passion with a way to help others too!”
6. Showcasing your neighbourhood
Events can inspire people to discover somewhere new, reconnect with their own surroundings, or see a whole new side to a place they know well. Those in the event industry know better than anyone how creative people coming together can revive a fading location and stimulate the imagination of both local residents and newcomers.
Gill Poulter, Highams Park Planning Group
“The reason why? To see where I live flourish and develop into a busy, artistic London hub. When an event goes well the response is immediate, and it is great to see families out enjoying themselves and the local shops busy once again.”
Alex Shebar, former Community Director at Yelp London and Head of Community at Tastebase
“I love working in events because I get to show off the best of my city to the people who live, work, and play here. Whether you’re new to London or have spent your entire life here, I promise I can show you something in London you’ve never seen before. Plus, somebody has to drink all of these drinks with me!”
7. Fun and friendship
Don’t underestimate the fact that events are fun! Whether organised with serious intentions or as a light-hearted gathering, events are a great way for guests to relax and make new friends. That social aspect of things is an important reason why event management appeals to so many people: the chance to grow one’s network – and have fun doing it.
Christie Fidura, former President at The Perfect Circle
“I love everything about events, even the planning. I like to slot in special things to surprise and delight my guests, and I’m highly organised, so I enjoy planning all the logistics. But the best part about an event is the camaraderie that it affords. There is nothing like the feeling of meeting up with friends, colleagues, peers and strangers who all share the same love of something that you do. You can feel yourself start to grow at that exact moment. It’s very addictive!”
Alice Shyy, former Founder and Chair at The Note Well
“The Note Well started organising music friendship events, like Speed Listening, because we have lots of music-loving friends who we want to meet each other. The more events The Note Well puts on, the more friends we make, and the more events they ask for, leading to… more friends! It’s a vicious cycle, but why would I say no to more friends?”
Inspired to learn more about event management?
From the challenges of an ever-changing routine to the joy of seeing a group united over a shared experience, the life of an event organiser is enormously fulfilling. While it’s easy to lose perspective or inspiration while you’re in the middle of yet another hectic project, it’s important to take time to reflect on why event management is such an exciting field to work in.
Whether you’re just at the start of your career journey in events or an experienced veteran, there’s always more to learn. To get more insights into how to hone your skills, take a look at Eventbrite’s free event management courses.
