CAREER ADVICE

Are you planning or considering a career as a meeting planner or special events producer? Welcome to our industry! My name is Sarah Lowis and I am the President of Sea to Sky Meeting Management.

The following information offers recommendations on what to do to get started in the industry.

Join an association
Often students are able to join associations at a greatly reduced rate. The minimal annual fee is worth the cost for the education and networking opportunities. At meetings you will meet people doing the very jobs you are interested in and you will be able to have an "on the spot" informational session. Examples of associations are listed in the Website Links section below.

Meeting Professionals International has added an innovative career planning tool on its website. The Career Pathways program defines core competencies for meeting professionals and creates personalized, specific pathways for growth.

http://www.mpiweb.org/resources/pathways/

Volunteer
Volunteer for a major conference or special event. This is time well spent, as you will have the opportunity to work with a potential employer as well as make friends with people in the industry. And who knows, a chance meeting might lead to that once in a lifetime opportunity.

Check out the newspaper
Peruse Monday's business section of the "Vancouver Sun" and "Business in Vancouver" for upcoming events for the week. Attend any industry related events, such as Vancouver AM. You never know whom you might bump in to.

Work in the hotel industry
Explore the option of working in the hotel industry first. Some hotels have "Individual Development Plans" available for keen individuals with initiative. In a hotel, you will develop valuable skills in customer service, multi-tasking and organization. You will also meet and work with meeting planners or have exposure to the catering department and the special events they organize.

Find a mentor
Develop a relationship with someone who can be your mentor in the hospitality industry. Mentors have connections and are valuable sources of information and guidance.

Be prepared to start at the beginning
Be prepared to start at the bottom and you will eventually make your way to your dream job. So often an entry-level position leads to the job you really want. This strategy worked for me.

Written Goals and Objectives
Be sure to write down your goals and objectives. Not just for your career, but for your personal life as well. Have a strategic plan to achieve those goals and objectives and be sure to stick to your plan.

Keyboard and computer skills
Develop great keyboard and computer skills. Everything we do in this industry is computer related.

The big picture
Do plenty of research and have an idea of the big picture of the industry and what is involved. Read industry publications and take courses.

Website Links
Here are some web sites to explore:

American Hotel and Motel Association:
www.ei-ahma.org
BC American Marketing Association:
www.bcama.com
Canadian Special Events Industry:
www.canadianspecialevents.com
Canadian Special Events Society:
www.cses.ca
Canadian Society of Association Executives:
www.csae.com
Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council:
www.cthrc.ca
Independent Meeting Planners Association of Canada Inc.:
www.impaccanada.com
International Special Events Society:
www.ises.com
Meeting Professionals International:
www.mpiweb.org
Professional Convention Management Association:
www.pcma.org
Society of Incentive Travel Executives:
www.site-intl.org
Vancouver AM Tourism Association:
www.vancouveram.ca

Let me know of any tips you might have for people starting out in the industry and I will gladly add them to my web page, with credit going to you of course!

All the very best in your endeavours and remember, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained".

Kind regards, Sarah.
Sarah Lowis, CMP, CMM