Tomorrow the holland alexander team are going to De Montfort University to Guest Lecture on their Cultural Exchanges Module. The module involves the third year students planning, organising and managing a week long festival with over 50 events, an interesting challenge for an events manager with 20 years experience as much as it for the 12 students producing the event.

I have been where those students are, organising that event with the pressure of achieving a good degree grade behind them, now I work as an Events Executive at a busy International Events Company. Is it easier or harder? I don’t know, but it is very different.

As an events executive it is all about the end result for the client, making sure that they are 100% happy, and that the event is a success, for them. As a student there are many pressures from different places, the lecturers, their peers, the heads of the University and not least from the individual student themselves. For any aspiring events managers out there I can tell you it is worth it. In my opinion although harder, with bigger risks and even bigger challenges, the real world of events is a dream job that is worth every minute.

For instance as an events executive you will (hopefully!) get to work in a brilliant team of creative individuals who will help you produce a fantastic event; everyone brings something different to the table and the advantage to working with an experienced team is that you know what they have to say is probably worth listening to. In the creative world of events, new ideas and new ways of doing things are encouraged, it is about achieving the best for the client, and in reality trial and error is the only way businesses thrive. Making the most of the strengths of your team and recognising its weaknesses is integral to make each new event even better than the last. I have had the opportunity to work on many different types of events in my role at holland alexander and the best thing about each one is having the chance to implement a new idea and if it works see it used again at the next event.

Whether it is in the business world of events or as a student the most important thing about an event is ALWAYS the guests, go above and beyond with each person and make an impact on them, do everything you can to make sure everyone has everything they need and feels special. If you do this then chances are the event, and in turn you, will be a success.

 Claire