Creating an event planner resume can feel as challenging as planning a large-scale event itself. The job is inherently stressful, time-consuming, and marked by uncertainty, a far cry from the picture-perfect scenes often portrayed on Pinterest.
Did you also know 52% of business leaders believe event marketing drives more return on investment than any other marketing channel? This means event planners are up for more than work than ever before.
Despite these high demands, the role of an event planner is also deeply creative, offering a high degree of autonomy and the potential for lucrative rewards. Our guide is designed to help you present your full range of capabilities and the unique challenges you tackle daily.
Key takeaways
- A hybrid resume format is an effective combo for your skills and experience.
- A creative event planner resume template will show your personality and style.
- Use storytelling in your experience section to convince any potential client you can organize their dream event.
- Show your proficiency with project management or planning software, and weave your people skills into your experience and resume profile sections.
- Certifications and education can give you credibility, especially in a corporate setting.
- Think of creative additional sections, such as how you spend your time, to show your approach is one-of-a-kind.
Let's begin by exploring a sample resume for an event planner.
Event planner resume sample
Looking for a preview of that top-notch event planner resume? Take a look at Anna’s document below. You can copy it and replace your own info in the sections, or use our Enhancv resume builder directly.
Anna Laine
event planner
anna.laine@events.com | @AnnaLaineEvents | Baltimore, Maryland
Summary
Dedicated and creative event planner with over 6 years of experience in organizing successful events, from conception to completion. Skilled in client consultations, vendor relations, and logistical planning, I excel in delivering events that meet and exceed client expectations. Proficient in managing a wide array of events including corporate functions, weddings, trade shows, and large-scale music festivals. Known for exceptional organizational abilities and a keen eye for detail, ensuring every event is memorable and seamless.
Experience
Senior event planner
Dazzling Events, Baltimore, MD
June 2018 – Present
- Lead planner for over 100 high-profile events, including product launches and corporate retreats, consistently receiving commendations for event originality and flawless execution.
- Managed budgets up to $500K, negotiating with vendors and venues to secure cost-effective yet high-quality services.
- Spearheaded a team of 10 event coordinators, fostering a collaborative environment that encouraged innovative ideas and solutions, and conducted regular training sessions to enhance team skills and knowledge in event management.
- Cultivated lasting client relationships through meticulous attention to client needs and preferences, ensuring repeat business and high satisfaction rates.
Event Coordinator
Starlight Agency, Baltimore, MD
March 2015 – May 2018
- Coordinated logistics for diverse events, such as weddings, business conferences, and trade shows, serving up to 2000 attendees.
- Implemented marketing promotions and managed guest transportation and accommodations, enhancing overall attendee satisfaction and event success.
- Developed strong relationships with vendors and service providers, expanding our network and improving service quality and pricing, while ensuring excellent client communications throughout the event planning process.
- Mentored junior coordinators and volunteers, providing guidance and training to improve event execution and team performance.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Graduated: 2014
Certifications
- Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
- Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP)
Skills
- Event Design & Execution
- Budget Management
- Vendor Negotiations
- Marketing & Promotions
- Risk Management
Languages
- Bilingual in English and Swedish
Having seen a sample, let's think about resume format and designs.
How to format an event planner resume
Being an event planner means you’re a creative person at heart. Vision and concept are important to you, so it’s logical to show these on your resume. A creative resume template will make potential employers see the boundless horizons of your dedication and innovation.
Resume format
Give equal importance to both your experience and skills with the combination resume. This resume format can set you apart and show your versatility. If you can organize both a corporate event and a kid’s birthday party, it means you’re adaptable and capable of managing diverse demands. This versatility is key to demonstrating your broad expertise and problem-solving skills in any event planning scenario.
Resume designs
While you have the freedom to innovate and feature unique experiences in your portfolio, it's important to stick to certain established industry standards. We've compiled a list of guidelines to help you balance creativity with professionalism. Rest assured, there's still plenty of room for your personal touch.
- Keep it short to engage your future clients quickly. A 1-page resume is usually plenty of room to show your best work.
- Gain immediate bonus points with the industry-approved two-column format that is comprehensible and easy to scan.
- Organization is key skill for an event planner, and you can show yours by neatly keeping your margins between 0.5” and 1” on each side.
- Don’t be afraid to use colors, but stick to one color scheme to reassure your audience you’ll keep it classy. Pair this with an easy-to-read font, such as Lato, Chivo, or Rubik.
Contact information
- Your resume header is your digital calling card, and is superimportant for keeping you in business. So, clearly state your contact info: name, job title, email, and phone number. A strong LinkedIn profile or better yet, a personal website or a link to your portfolio, are also a great addition to your header.
- Avoid bias and potential discrimination by excluding photos from your resume.
PRO TIP
You might wonder if ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) will be able to read your creative resume design. We've done some research and established that fonts, colors, column structure, and the length of your resume do not influence ATS performance.
That’s why, align your resume with the wording of the job description and pay attention to formatting aspects like date formats and bullet points, as these can impact ATS readability.
File formatting
- Keep your document’s title simple with this popular naming convention: JaneDoe_EventPlanner_Resume.pdf
- A PDF keeps all resume elements in place.
PRO TIP
For specific requirements such as format and photos, always check with the job posting you’re after.
Top sections on a resume
The resume sections you shouldinclude are:
- A clear header
- Professional summary
- Work history
- Event planning skills
- Certifications/Courses
More details on each section follow. In the meantime, why don’t you test your existing resume against our AI-powered resume checker!
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With a suitable format in mind, we can now focus on detailing your professional experience effectively.
How to write your event planner resume experience
Your work experience section will differ depending on the niche you’re developing in as an event planner. Are you more experienced in organizing private events, such as birthday parties and weddings, or corporate, such as team buildings or product launch events? Use powerful storytelling to convince future employers you can tend to their needs by by highlighting the success of the events you organized, no matter what they were.
Your experience section will also look different depending on whether you’re part of an event planning agency or a have your own company and do contract work. You can get most out of both scenarios by following these tips:
- List the events you organized, and what each gig entailed.
- Highlight your contributions, such as increasing event attendance through targeted social media campaigns.
- Mention your proficiency with budgeting or project management software.
- Quantify your achievements.
Create a targeted resume
The most important thing you can do for your resume, regardless of your specific experience, is target the job posting you want to apply for. Use specific keywords and action verbs to instill the feeling you’re a great fit. Let’s look at a real event planner job description:
Event planner
Position overview
You are a creative and enterprising event planner who will develop a variety of events that tackle complex issues and position INDG as the premier provider of solutions for government, tax, and legal professionals. You will collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners to create dynamic and unique experiences. You will manage execution of conferences and sponsorships; create proprietary events to highlight thought leadership and create memorable experiences; assist in the launch of new products and services; contribute to employee-engagement initiatives; and generate leads and report ROI.
What you will do:
- Execute a wide range of conferences, prospect engagement events, employee events, as well as client appreciation projects.
- Develop innovative and creative experiences that integrate product and tell a brand story.
- Implement consistent on-brand look and feel through events.
- Collaborate with internal teams such as security, facilities, sales, catering, creative, digital, and web teams to execute successful events
- Event management to include: pre-event briefing and planning with internal client, pitching innovative concepts, venue sourcing and selection, contract negotiations, vendor management, creative materials production, budget management, and post-event reporting.
- Provide strategic event-level guidance, research, and idea generation.
- Ensure compliance to budget, expenses, and reconciliations on a per event basis.
You need to have:
- Very strong organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment.
- Flexibility for overnight travel.
- Bachelor’s degree in communications or marketing or equivalent experience.
- 2 years’ experience in managing events.
And now, an experience section tailored to this exact job posting:
03/2019 - Present 
- •Directed 50+ multi-industry conferences with up to 5,000 attendees each, increasing client engagement by 40% and consistently exceeding lead generation targets by 25%.
- •Pioneered a series of digital transformation workshops for legal professionals, which became a benchmark for industry standards, enhancing our brand positioning as a market leader.
- •Orchestrated a portfolio of over 30 proprietary events annually, focusing on innovative product launches and strategic client appreciation, resulting in a 35% uplift in client retention rates.
- •Negotiated and managed over $2 million in vendor contracts annually, achieving a 20% reduction in event costs through strategic partnerships and meticulous budget management.
Here’s what makes it work:
- The experience section includes specific figures for attendance, budget management, and client engagement metrics, directly addressing the job description's focus on measurable success and ROI.
- Highlighting leadership in multi-industry conferences and workshops specifically tailored for professionals aligns with the target job's industry and audience.
- Demonstrates comprehensive event planning skills, from concept to execution, including vendor management and budget oversight
To enhance your resume experience section, consider quantifying your achievements to demonstrate measurable impact.
How to quantify your experience on resume
By using specific metrics event planners can clearly demonstrate their effectiveness and strategic acumen to employers and clients, making their contributions both visible and valuable. Just make sure you illustrate your achievements with concrete examples. Here are our suggestions:
- Including the attendee count for the largest event you have organized gives insights into how you manage large-scale tasks.
- Describing the size of the largest budget you maintained can showcase your financial management skills.
- his can highlight your ability to work efficiently with financial constraints.
- If you have organized a recurring event, sharing the percentage growth in attendees year-over-year can display your ability to attract more participants.
- If your strategies led to a reduction in preparation or event turnaround time, stating the hours or days saved can demonstrate your productivity and efficiency.
If you're new to the field, focusing on transferable skills can help fill the gap of direct experience.
How do I write an event planner resume with no experience
When structuring an event planner resume with no experience, you'll want to emphasize your other assets. Here’s a breakdown on how to structure your entry-level event planner resume:
- List your education, such as a high school diploma or a higher degree.
- Describe transferable skills that could be relevant to any position, such as teamwork and creative thinking.
- Show your engagement in community projects, such as organizing a charity event at your school or helping out at a local festival.
- Dedicate some space to personal projects, such as helping in the organization of your cousin’s wedding.
When creating your entry-level resume:
- Use a functional resume format to put the focus on your skills rather than experience.
- Put a resume objective on top of your resume to show recruiters why you’re a good fit for the position.
Here’s a well-writen resume objective:
Next, we'll look at what makes a good skills section.
Event planner skills on your resume
As an event planner, your hard skills include technical abilities like budget management and software expertise. Place these in a dedicated section for easy reference.
PRO TIP
Always be honest about your skills, as they can be easily verified when put to practice.
Take a look at our list:
Best hard skills for your event planner resume
- Budget management
- Contract negotiation
- Vendor sourcing
- Event design
- Logistics coordination
- Risk management
- Event software proficiency (e.g., Eventbrite, Cvent)
- Audio-visual technology
- Food and beverage management
- Venue selection
- Registration management
- Marketing and promotion (e.g., Social Media, SEO)
- Fundraising
- Event-specific technology (e.g., RFID, Mobile apps)
- Project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- CRM software (e.g., Salesforce)
- AutoCAD or other event layout design software
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Time management tools (e.g., Google Calendar, Outlook)
- Sustainability practices in events
Integrate your soft skills within your experience or resume profile section by providing concrete examples. Consider adding some of these to your application:
Best soft skills for your event planner resume
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
- Organization
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Multitasking
- Networking
- Decision-making
- Interpersonal skills
- Patience
- Initiative
- Stress management
- Empathy
- Diplomacy
- Positivity
Equally important to skills, your education and certifications provide a foundation that strengthens your resume.
How to list your education and certifications on your resume
Clients will be more interested in the concrete events you planned rather than what your diploma says. Yet, you’ll always find a higher degree beneficial, especially if it’s in one of those fields:
Top 5 degrees for this industry, according to Miss Event Planner:
- Hospitality and management
- Business
- Public Relations
- Marketing
- Communications
In your education section, make sure you underline:
- Your specific major, especially if it’s in something like Event Management.
- The educational institution—to emphasize the credibility of your degree.
- Graduation year—for context and recentness of your education. You can skip the month.
- Any relevant courses or academic achievements.
We’ve crafted an education entry targeting the job description from above:
Invalid Date - Invalid Date - •Specialized in Corporate Communication and Public Relations, developing core skills in message strategy, audience engagement, and brand storytelling.
- •Completed capstone project on 'The Role of Strategic Events in Corporate Marketing', which analyzed how effective event planning enhances brand visibility and market position.
- •Gained practical experience through a year-long internship with a leading events management company, contributing to over 20 high-profile events and improving the event planning process.
This entry displays a specialized degree in Communications with a focus on event planning and strategic brand engagement—key skills highlighted in the job description. The inclusion of a capstone project and a relevant internship directly aligns with the practical and innovative event management expertise the employer is seeking.
Event planning certifications
Certifications seem like the easier way to go, especially in fields where you don’t need a degree. However, keep in mind that, to get certified, you’ll need to have at least an year of experience first. So, make a distinction between being a certified event planner and attending a course in event planning.
Having this in mind, a certification always looks good on your resume, especially if you’re applying for a corporate event planning job where recognized industry standards are highly valued. Take your pick from our suggestions:
Best certifications for your event planner resume
Armed with educational credentials, we move on to writing a compelling resume summary that encapsulates your professional persona.
How to write your event planner resume summary
If you're an event planning pro with over three years under your belt, it's time to shine a spotlight on your expertise with a stellar resume summary! Aim for a concise masterpiece—just 3-4 sentences will do.
Use an active voice to captivate, and zero in on how your seasoned skills will be a game-changer for the prospective company. Like in this summary sample tailored to the job posting we discussed:
This summary shows a track record of planning and executing dynamic events that align perfectly with company branding. It highlights hands-on experience and strategic expertise, making the candidate an ideal choice for leading high-profile projects.
Finally, consider additional sections that can highlight unique aspects of your background.
Additional sections for an event planner resume
For event planners, incorporating optional sections in a resume can demonstrate adaptability and creativity.
- Include links to an online portfolio or past event galleries to provide tangible proof of your event planning capabilities and creativity.
- Adding a section for client or employer testimonials can build credibility through positive feedback on your organizational skills and successful events.
- If you speak multiple languages, highlight this skill to show you can cater to diverse clients and manage international events.
- Emphasize any volunteer work related to event planning or community organization to demonstrate a commitment to service and the ability to manage events on different scales.
To visualize how you spend your day as event planner, try one of Enhancv builder’s signature sections, My Time:
In conclusion
Creating an outstanding event planner resume is about more than listing your past job duties—it’s about your ability to bring any event to life, no matter the scale. Let your resume be your personal marquee by emphasizing a blend of practical experience, relevant educational background, and key skills!
Event Planner resume examples
Explore additional event planner resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
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