Event Planning Certification

There is a huge misunderstanding about what event planning certification is, who needs it, and what it can do for you.

The biggest misconception is that certification is a short-cut to education; that you can take a course, learn about event planning, and then suddenly be "certified." While many online courses make such promises, the reality is that there aren't any reputable "certifications" for beginners or anyone hoping to start their career in event planning.

Most of the schools promising you a "certification" with no experience are just hoping to make some money off you; and the certification will mean nothing in the meeting and event planning industry.

Therefore, most event planning certifications require that you have at least three to five years of experience before taking the test to become certified.

See, that's the point. That's part of the misunderstanding. You don't need to be "certified" to start a career in event planning. Yes, you need to learn the basics. Yes, you need to get some hands-on experience. Yes, you need to network like crazy. But don't confuse those with the need for event planning certification. Don't think that a certification is a short-cut to learning, getting experience, and networking.

What you DO need to do is, as I mentioned, learn the basics. You can't get a job without knowing how to do the job, right?

So here's the big secret on how to get your start in event planning:

1. Learn everything you can about event planning and the basic elements of the job.

2. Volunteer to get some hands-on experience.

   and,

3. Network like crazy!

That is a very, very good question! And one that, up until recently, I didn't have an answer for. But now, I do.

After spending over a year investigating courses to recommend to my readers and subscribers, I realized a very sad fact: that there simply aren't any online event planning courses out there to teach you the basics of true event planning.

Sure, there's plenty of "certification" courses that teach you how to plan weddings and parties. But trust me, you'll never make a living as a party planner, and wedding planning is a very difficult path to choose (I'll explain more in a minute).

If you truly want to make a living as an event planner, you need to go where the money is. And the money lies in two areas of event planning: large scale events, and corporate meetings, events, and incentive trips.

So why can't I find a single course out there that actually teaches you what you need to know to start your career?

Honestly, I don't know.

And so, I've created my own online event planner course. It pushes past the BS and teaches you what you truly need to know, at a fraction of the insane cost that these other courses charge you.

To read more and to start your career in event planning today, please visit Event Planner Courses: How to Plan Events If you'd like to read more about event planning courses and education, read the following pages:

• Event Planner Certification: This page helps you understand why event planning certification can be one of the biggest scams in the industry.
  
  
  
• Event Planning Training: This page reviews a few of the most well-known online event planning courses, and gives my opinion on whether they are worth your money.
  
  
  
• Event Planning Courses: This page outlines which path of event planning education is best for you, depending on where you are in your life and what you want for your career.

Here are a few (not all) of the certification programs that are available:

Certified Event Professional (CEP)
US Event Guide's CEP is one of the few certifications you can pursue without having any prior experience in the event or meeting industry. This Certification Program is your chance to learn about this lucrative field and how to begin your new career within a few months. ****IMPORTANT UPDATE*** THIS SCHOOL IS A SCAM *** I have been informed by one of my subscribers that he paid in full and yet has received no information, and can not get ahold of anyone for a refund. Until further notice, DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE!

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
The CMP is perhaps one of the most recognized certifications in the event and meeting planning industry. If you plan on a lifelong career in event planning, this event planning certification is an added bonus. Candidates must have three years' experience and a full-time job in the industry in order to apply for the program.

Certified Special Events Professional
The CSEP designation is the hallmark of professional achievement in the special events industry. It is earned through education, performance, experience, and service to the industry, and reflects a commitment to professional conduct and ethics. Just as with the CMP, candidates must have three years’ of experience in the special events industry and be currently employed (or employed within the last twelve months) in a special events job.

Certified International Meeting Professionals Association (CIMPA)
CIMPA offers three certifications; as with the others, there is a minimum of 2–5 years of experience in the field (depending on which event planning certification you are interested in) or a minimum of 3-5 years of volunteering with events.

• CPPM – Certified Planner of Professional Meetings
• CGMP – Certified Global Meeting Professional
• CIMP – Certified Internet Meeting Professional

  ****UPDATE: While this seems to be a legit school, I want to clarify that the only certifications that really stand out are the CMP and the CSEP. I am no longer going to refer certifications for which I do not personally know people to have taken; and in all my years I've never met anyone who has this certification.

As always (am I starting to sound like a broken record? Because IT WORKS!) follow the steps on the "Career Planning" page: read and learn, volunteer for experience, and network and do informational interviews. Find a mentor or ask around; you will learn, eventually, which steps, if any, toward event planning certification and/or education are right for you.

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