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Event management is about organising a professional and focused event for a target audience, corporate house or NGO.

The lowdown
Event management is about organising a professional and focused event for a target audience, corporate house or NGO. It involves visualising concepts, planning, budgeting, organising and executing events that can be varied in scale and appeal, such as fashion shows, musical concerts, corporate seminars, press conferences, exhibitions, wedding celebrations, theme parties, product launches, among others. This career does not require much investment but offers a huge canvas for creative expression

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Clock Work
9 am: Reach office
10 am: Get busy with client meetings
Noon: Fix up meetings for the next day
1.30 pm: Lunch
3 pm: Brief team on the event
4 pm: Finalise every detail regarding the event
7 pm: Leave for home

However, timings are erratic when an event happens

The payoff
Remuneration in this field varies according to the type of event managed. A trainee can get around Rs15,000 a month. From here, salaries depend on the size of the company. A freelancer’s income depends on the event s/he handles. The head of an event management company can earn in lakhs, depending on the scale of the event handled and whether s/he has a stake in the company

Skills/TRAITS
. Leadership qualities
. Public relations skills
. Marketing and business acumen
. Budgeting skills
. Risk management ability
. Mastery over conceptualising and planning events and implementing plans

Getting there
No certification course or specific qualification is required for becoming an event manager. Graduates with good public relation skills can join this field. Some institutes offer specialised diplomas and advanced diplomas in event management. However, some of the biggest event management firms may prefer candidates who have an MBA degree, along with good PR skills. Another possible combination of qualifications is a public relations course along with a masters degree in marketing. This gives you an edge over others with the same years of experience in the field

Institutes and URLs
. Event Management Development Institute (EMDI), multiple locations
www.emdiworld.com
. National Institute of Event Management, Mumbai,
www.niemindia.com
. NAEMD College of Management Studies, Jaipur
www.naemd.com
. Mark 1 Institute of Event Management, Coimbatore,
www.mark1academy.com/

Pros and cons
. Great sense of satisfaction on successful execution of an event
. A very high-energy working environment
. Very creative work
. Offers one a chance to move around with celebrities and top shots of the corporate world
. Immense work pressure and long hours, quite often outside regular business timings
. Can involve regular travel and timings are often erratic
. Weekends are usually working days
. If established, one can make a lot of money in this profession