How to Build Your Event Planning Resume - Event Planning Blueprint

Have you ever met someone who always has it together (at least from the outside looking in)? They seem to have the right experience, at the right time, and know-how to market themselves and their event services perfectly?

People like this seem to have all the luck and have hit the jackpot. They’ve found a way to market themselves and their event planning business so it aligns with their ideal clients and events.

But what if it’s not just about luck? What if there’s a way to get your event planning resume set up so you crack the code and get the events you want?

Because let’s be real…when you’re ambitious but you don’t know exactly where to start it can feel overwhelming…which is soon followed by procrastination.

At least that was my experience when I first started my event business and was looking for events.

If you or another event planner you know is struggling to build your event planning resume, this is for you because having a resume that gets people’s attention is a vital part of looking for an event-related job or growing your own event business.

It’s how you get your foot in the door!

Event Planning Resume

The main purpose of your event planning resume is to get an interview, so here are 19 resume writing tips that you can use:

Keep the font simple, like Arial, so it’s easy to read.
Tailor your resume to suit the position you are applying for. This means you may have multiple versions. It’s important to customize your resume based on specific job requirements and highlight key experience and skills applicable to the position.
Short and targeted: Your resume should be short and to the point. Limit it to two pages. All you are doing is highlighting your most relevant skills and experience applicable to the job.
There are two different resume types, so make sure you choose the right one.
1. Chronological resume– this is perfect for listing your accomplishments in order by date
2. Functional or Skill-based – this is perfect for showing your most transferable skills and is my preferred option
Because resumes are often submitted online, keyword optimization matters. Almost all companies and recruiters use resume screening software to assess your resume, so make sure you include relevant keywords to pass that resume screening software. Pro tip: You can find these keywords in the job ads, qualification sections, and career section of the company website.
Don’t include a photo of yourself. Photos on resumes were a short-lived fad, and they’re no longer standard format.
Make your headline count, because it is one of the first things your prospective employer will read.
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. Once you send the resume, you can’t change it.
Be honest. This might sound like an obvious one, but it can be tempting when you are 99% qualified, and it’s your dream job!
Include unpaid work – this is where the skill-based resume works well.
Be sure to include your contact information. Pro tip: don’t use an inappropriate email address from when you were 15-years old, like inapproriatename(at)hotmail(dot)com
Write your resume in the third person, as if it’s being written by someone else. Don’t use personal pronouns like “I,” “my,” or “me”.
Don’t include hobbies or interests because you never know how the potential employer could react. It’s the classic “less is more” strategy.
Use simple words and action verbs. Because the first person to read your resume might not be the hiring manager, you want to make sure you use plain enough language that anyone can reasonably understand, without sacrificing your skills or achievements.
Qualify your achievements by listing facts and figures. For example, if you ran an event where 10,000 people attended, and you were able to land 75% of them as new customers for your client, include it on your resume (and your cover letter.)
Save a separate file for each job you apply for with the following naming convention: lastname_firstname_resume.pdf
Save as a PDF
More often than not, a company will ask for, or give you the option to, include a cover letter with your resume. This should never be generic. You should start with a template letter that you have already personalized, but adapt a new copy for every single job you apply for, highlighting why you are the right fit for that particular position and company. Show some personality, making the reader want to hire and work with you.
Make sure you read the job posting before submitting it. Even if you are applying on LinkedIn or Indeed, the job posting might specify how they want you to submit your resume, like on the company site or via email. Submitting your resume the wrong way is just as damaging as submitting a resume with grammatical errors.

Are you creating a resume from scratch? Try this resume-building tool.

Adding Your Event Planner Resume to LinkedIn

LinkedIn is also incredibly important. It’s how you hold someone’s attention long enough to make them want to talk more. A.K.A. Land an interview.

If you don’t have a LinkedIn Profile, you can create a free account here in about 30 minutes.

LinkedIn is a general overview of your career and accomplishments, and a great way to connect with people and build your network.

LinkedIn Tips:

Unlike your resume, you only need one version of your LinkedIn profile.
It’s important to continually update your profile as you gain new experiences, skills, professional development, and make career moves.
While you don’t have to change your LinkedIn profile for every job you apply for, you can highlight certain parts of your profile if you are looking for a specific type of job.
LinkedIn provides a unique opportunity for long-form copy, allowing you to go more in-depth about previous job experience, education, and skills. You can contain your entire work history since you aren’t confined to the two-page guidelines of the traditional resume.
Create a more robust and dynamic profile by including links to your work, portfolio, website, and social media accounts.
Ask for and include recommendations from colleagues and former bosses.
List skills and accomplishments, and ask your network for Endorsements.
Take skills assessments, not just to benefit your profile, but to benefit you and your skill set as well. According to LinkedIn, you are 30% more likely to get hired for the job you apply for if you verify your skills through the skills assessments. Don’t worry — if you fail an assessment, you can try again, and posting your results is voluntary.
Write intriguing posts, blogs, and articles to highlight and display your knowledge. Remember that hashtags, links, and tagging helps with algorithms.
Share the relevant content your network posts, hoping they will do the same for you.
Grow your network by connecting to the people you know first, and then organically through doing things like commenting on your connections posts.
Join groups and follow people and companies that can help you grow your knowledge base, keeping you as up-to-date as possible. Leaving well-expressed comments within groups can also help you grow your network.
Including keywords related to your skills, experience, and desired roles make it easier for recruiters to find you online as it increases the odds of your profile appearing in LinkedIn searches.
This is your chance to talk like a human, instead of a resume robot. You can even take this opportunity to write in the first person, showing more personality.
Be creative with your headline, it should say more about you than simply stating your job title. This is where you can highlight why you do what you do.
Your summary statement tells your story, and how you position yourself professionally within your industry.
Including your photo is a must. Not including a photo can make people question your profile’s legitimacy. Your headshot should reflect your personality and profession. Be sure to use a high-quality image, and that the cropping doesn’t cut your face in half.
Your LinkedIn Banner should complement your profile, and work for you. According to LinkedIn, a profile with graphics is 11 times more likely to get viewed than those that don’t.

6 optional (and free) add-ons to include in your LinkedIn profile:

A graphic using Canva
List your contact information like your email, phone number, and website
A photo that speaks to your profession
Highlight any awards or recognition
A photo of your city’s skyline
An inspirational quote

5 Ways to differentiate your event planner resume from other resumes…

Use Industry-specific keywords that will get you past resume filter robots, and prove to the person reading them that you know what you’re talking about.
Include Certifications that back up your experience.
List stats that prove you can get the job done, and get it done well. Numbers really matter when it comes to event planning, especially if you’re planning corporate events. They want to know that you can increase their ROI.
Catch the attention of the reader with your event planning resume objective or summary. If you are experienced, use the summary to highlight that experience, if you’re not experienced, use the objective to highlight transferable skills (like planning your cousin’s wedding), plus relevant education and/or volunteer work.
Based on the job description of the job you’re applying for, list skills that will show that you’re the perfect match. Classic examples are skills like: time management, people skills, organization, team-player, and strong negotiator.

If you’re at a place in your life or career where you’d rather work for yourself, then your event planning portfolio and LinkedIn profile matter more than your resume.

It’s also incredibly important to make sure you have the necessary documents, like event planning contracts, to protect yourself and your business. Did you know that the average payout amount range can be between $15,000- $30,000?

That’s an unnecessary risk when a contract is easy to come by and doesn’t cost a lot.

They are important to use, even when planning events as a freelancer, family member, or friend. You know the rule — cover your butt and your assets!

What’s the biggest insight you’re taking away from this article and how can you use it to build your event planning resume?