8 tips for getting into event planning with no experience

Breaking into the events industry | Event planning jobs, skills & qualifications

Event planning offers plenty of exciting ways to build a creative, people-focused career, whether you want to work for an employer or launch your own business. 

You can break into the industry through practical experience, networking, short courses, entry-level roles, or formal qualifications, depending on your goals and budget. 

This guide covers how to get into event coordination, event production, and event planning, including:

• The skills you’ll need to work in events 
• Routes into the industry
• Practical ways to gain experience (without a degree)
• Tips for landing an employed role 
• Tips for starting your own business

Let’s go!

What skills & qualifications do you need to become an event planner?

To become an event planner, you’ll need a mix of practical and creative skills, as well as the ability to network and build long-lasting professional relationships. Some event planners choose to pursue formal training and qualifications in areas like event management, marketing, hospitality, or business, but this isn’t a technical requirement. Many planners enter the industry through hands-on experience instead. 

Here’s a quick overview of some of the skills you’ll need to hone as an event planner:

• Organisation: Managing timelines, suppliers, budgets, and schedules keeps events running smoothly from start to finish.
• Communication: Confident communication helps you forge positive professional relationships and keep projects running smoothly.
• Problem-solving: Fast thinking enables you to handle last-minute changes without disrupting the attendee experience.
• Creativity: Creative ideas make your events stand out for their originality and flair.
• Time management: Managing competing deadlines helps you juggle multiple projects without losing momentum.
• Technical knowledge: Familiarity with ticketing platforms, marketing tools, and event software makes day-to-day planning feel more manageable.

What jobs are available in event planning?

The events industry includes a mix of creative, operational, marketing, and client-facing roles. Some jobs focus on planning and logistics, while others specialise in production, partnerships, or audience growth.

• Event coordinator: Keeps event planning moving smoothly by managing schedules, communicating with suppliers, and supporting daily logistics throughout the event process.
• Venue or hospitality coordinator: Works closely with clients to manage bookings and oversee how events run within hotels, venues, or conference spaces.
• Event marketing executive: Helps attract attendees by promoting events through campaigns, written content, audience outreach, and digital marketing activity.
• Production and technical roles: Supports the technical side of live events, helping with setup and making sure equipment works properly during delivery.
• Sponsorship or partnerships executive: Builds relationships with commercial partners while helping secure sponsorship opportunities connected to events or exhibitions.
• Operations and customer experience staff: Supports guests throughout live events by helping with ticketing, managing arrivals, and assisting attendees on site.
• Wedding or private event planner: Organises personal celebrations for individual clients while managing the planning process from initial ideas through to delivery.
• Freelance or self-employed event planner: Runs an independent events business while offering planning support or specialist services for different types of clients.

How to get into event planning: Available routes

Some people enter the events industry through university courses or apprenticeships; others build experience through volunteering, internships, networking, or entry-level event roles. 

1. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees

Degrees in event management, hospitality, marketing, public relations, and business can help you build relevant industry knowledge while developing practical planning and communication skills. Lots of courses also include work placements, which give students valuable hands-on experience before graduation.

After completing a degree, it’s likely you’ll search for entry-level roles with event agencies, venues, charities, festivals, or corporate organisations. Some graduates also use their experience and industry contacts to launch freelance event businesses or specialise in areas like weddings, live events, or conferences.

✅ Practical tip: Full-time degrees usually take three years, although part-time and online courses can offer more flexibility if you’re balancing work, volunteering, or existing commitments alongside studying.

1. Apprenticeships and internships

Apprenticeships and internships give aspiring event planners practical experience while helping them build professional relationships across the industry. They provide the opportunity to learn “on the job”, offering a blend of training and real-world experience that can cover everything from administration and logistics to marketing and on-site coordination.

Lots of employers use internships and apprenticeships as a pathway into permanent roles. And any experience you gain can also help you build confidence before applying for wider event coordination positions.

✅ Practical tip: Search for event internships and apprenticeships through LinkedIn, university career boards, hospitality job sites, festival websites, and the careers pages of local venues, agencies, and corporate event companies.

1. Gaining the relevant experience

You don’t necessarily need qualifications to break into the events industry. Networking, volunteering, and gradually building up a portfolio over time can give you the foothold you need to create an exciting and long-lasting career, as we explore below.

How to get into event planning without a degree (employed route)

You can build a successful career in event planning without a degree by gaining practical experience and developing relevant workplace skills over time. 

Volunteer your time

Volunteering at local events gives you practical experience while helping you understand how successful events are organised behind the scenes. Community festivals, charity fundraisers, conferences, and music events often need support with a range of tasks, from guest management and logistics to attendee communication.

These opportunities also help you build relationships with venues, suppliers, and experienced planners who may recommend you for future paid roles. Even a few volunteering shifts can strengthen your CV and give you useful examples to discuss during interviews.

✅ Practical tip: Search for volunteer event roles through local charities, community groups, festival websites, universities, and LinkedIn. Following local venues and event organizers on social media can also help you spot opportunities early.

Search for entry-level positions

Entry-level event roles give you valuable experience while helping you understand how different areas of the industry operate day to day. Looking for assistant positions across venues, agencies, charities, and corporate organisations can help you build practical experience while learning how live events are delivered behind the scenes.

You can focus your search on roles connected to the part of the industry you enjoy most. Someone interested in live music events might apply for venue or production support positions, while somebody drawn to business events could look for conference or marketing assistant roles within corporate teams.

Tailoring your CV to highlight transferable experience can improve your chances during the application process. Customer-facing work, administrative responsibilities, hospitality experience, or previous sales support can all help demonstrate skills that employers look for when hiring event staff.

Get your networking hat on

Building professional relationships is a great way to discover job opportunities and learn how different areas of the events industry operate. Networking also helps you stay connected to industry trends and experienced planners who may recommend you for future roles.

• Join industry associations: Professional event organisations can help you build connections and stay informed as you break into the industry. Through networking events and conferences, you can meet other event professionals while also gaining access to training, certifications, and valuable industry insights.
• Attend industry events regularly: Trade shows, venue showcases, exhibitions, and business events give you opportunities to build connections while learning how successful events are delivered behind the scenes.
• Seek out mentors: Experienced planners can offer career advice and insights that make it easier for you to grow your confidence and industry knowledge over time.
• Stay visible online: LinkedIn and industry social groups can help you maintain relationships, join conversations, and keep up with opportunities across the events sector.

Hone your skills with relevant courses

Taking industry-relevant courses is a great way to build practical event planning skills while showing employers you’re serious about developing your career. Courses in event management, marketing, budgeting, social media, project management, and health and safety can all strengthen your knowledge.

Online learning platforms also make it easier to study flexibly alongside work or other existing responsibilities.

✅ Practical tip: Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, FutureLearn, and The Event Academy offer flexible event planning and business courses that you can study around existing commitments.

Focus on a niche

Choosing a niche is a great way to focus your skills and give yourself a competitive edge when applying for roles. Some people enjoy the fast pace of live entertainment and festivals, while others prefer working on business conferences or more personal celebrations like weddings and private events. Spending time in different environments can help you figure out which type of event work suits your interests and working style best.

Focusing on a specific area of the industry also helps you build specialised contacts and understand what clients or employers expect. This experience can make future opportunities feel more targeted and easier to pursue.

How to start an event planning business with no experience (self-employed route)

Starting an event planning business without previous industry experience is completely possible when you focus on building practical skills, creating connections, and gaining experience through smaller projects first.

Volunteer your services

Offering your planning services for free can help you build hands-on experience while creating examples of real events you can later showcase to paying clients. You might help organise a friend’s engagement party, support a local fundraiser, or coordinate decorations and suppliers for a community celebration.

These early projects give you opportunities to practise core event planning skills like budgeting, timelines, communication, and guest coordination in real-world settings. They can also lead to testimonials and portfolio content that helps your business feel more established. Which brings us to our next point…

Build a portfolio

A portfolio helps potential clients understand both your experience and your own unique approach to event planning, even when you’re still building your business. Photos, mood boards, timelines, budgets, supplier lists, and testimonials from smaller projects can all help demonstrate your abilities.

Your portfolio doesn’t need to begin with large-scale events or expensive productions. Small community events or even a close friend’s intimate wedding can showcase both creativity and practical planning skills.

Create your legal business set up

Setting up the legal side of your business ensures you look professional and stay organised as you begin taking on clients. Your exact setup will depend on your location, business structure, and the types of events you plan to manage.

• Register your business: Choose a business structure and register your company name if required in your region.
• Arrange insurance: For example, public liability insurance can protect your business when working at live events and venues.
• Create client contracts: Written agreements help outline payment terms, responsibilities, cancellation policies, and event expectations.
• Open a business bank account: Keeping finances separate makes budgeting, invoicing, and tax management much easier.

Gather social proof & testimonials early

Positive testimonials and personal referrals are vital during the early stages of building an event planning business because they influence whether new clients choose to trust and book your services. Word-of-mouth recommendations and genuine client feedback can drive new enquiries long before you have years of experience or a large portfolio behind you.

Testimonials from friends, volunteer projects, community events, or smaller paid bookings can still carry real value while you’re building experience. 

✅ Practical tip: Ask clients for short written reviews after each event, and request permission to share photos from the day across your website and social media channels. It’s likely that most people will be happy to oblige!

Create a brand, website and social media presence

A professional brand helps potential clients understand your style and the types of events you want to plan. Your business name, logo, colors, photography, and tone of voice should all feel consistent across your website and social platforms.

Your website doesn’t need to feel complicated or expensive during the early stages of your business. A simple site featuring your services, portfolio, testimonials, and contact details can help clients find you and build trust more quickly. Regular social media updates can also help showcase your work, acting as a valuable extension to your portfolio. 

So where do you go from here? 

Breaking into event planning takes time and plenty of hands-on learning, but don’t be daunted by the task at hand! Remember, every successful event planner has to start somewhere, and it’s completely possible to build experience through volunteering, networking, smaller projects, and entry-level opportunities. 

As you begin planning events, having reliable tools in place can make day-to-day organisation much easier. Ticket Tailor gives you an ultra-easy way to manage all aspects of ticketing, with tons of time-saving features, the lowest fees in the market, and fast, friendly customer support.

Find out more about why Ticket Tailor is the ideal ticketing partner for first-time event planners, or get started straight away by creating your free Ticket Tailor account.