Meetings and conventions bring people together for a common purpose. But these events don’t just happen. Someone has to coordinate every detail, from booking speakers and locations to arranging for printed materials and audiovisual equipment.
That someone is a meeting and convention planner. Meeting and convention planners work to ensure that people gathering for a shared objective can achieve it seamlessly, without having to think about the minutiae of the meeting. Some organizations have internal meeting planning staffs, and others hire independent planning firms to organize events. Planners work for nonprofit organizations, professional and oth- er associations, hotels, corporations, and governments.
On the following pages, you’ll learn what these directors of detail do. You’ll also find out what meeting and convention planners earn, what their job outlook is, and how they prepare for, enter, and advance in the occupation. A final section points you toward additional resources.