Event Manager Resume Example
Starting a career as an event manager gives you the chance to gain experience in coordinating event logistics and overseeing budget allocations. A strong resume for event manager applications showcases your skills, experience and achievements and helps you stand out from other candidates. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your event manager applications.
This complete guide to an event manager resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths, and shows you can handle it all; behind the scenes and center stage. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Read on to learn how to write a perfect event manager resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
Main sections of an event manager resume
A successful event manager resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.
For junior and entry-level event manager positions, you may be short on work experience to include in your resume. Select a resume layout that emphasizes your skills and qualifications, such as a functional format. Focus the content of your resume on your soft and transferable skills, and any hard or technical skills you've learned from your studies or career to date. You can also mention any relevant internships, training courses or voluntary roles you've taken on.
Work experience is typically the most important resume section for event manager applicants with some prior experience. As such, it's best to use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format. In your resume work experience section, outline your relevant achievements and showcase the impact you've made in your career to date. Make sure everything you include is relevant to the job description.
For senior event manager roles, you're likely to be competing against highly experienced candidates. Use a reverse-chronological resume format and focus on adding additional information that shows your credentials beyond your work experience. Senior resumes are often longer than resumes for junior roles. This is because you may choose to include extra sections, such as awards, professional memberships, publications, conferences or certifications on your resume.
The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:
Resume Header with Contact Details
The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.
Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.
Noah Hernandez
noah.hernandez@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
29 Acacia Road, Nutwood, CA
linkedin․com/in/noah–hernandez123
Resume Objective
Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for event manager roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why event manager roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.
A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. See below for some great examples of how to approach your event manager resume.
Good example:
Highly organized and detail-oriented Event Manager with a Bachelor of Arts in Event Management and extensive experience as an Event Coordinator. Proven track record in planning, executing, and managing a wide range of events, ensuring seamless operations and exceptional client satisfaction. Skilled in budgeting, vendor negotiations, team leadership, and logistical coordination. Adept at problem-solving and maintaining a high level of professionalism under pressure. Passionate about creating memorable and impactful event experiences
Bad example:
Event manager with some experience in organizing and running events. Studied event management and worked in roles where I helped plan and manage different types of events. Have done some budgeting and talked to vendors. Led teams and coordinated logistics. Good at solving problems and staying professional when things get busy. Enjoy making events memorable and impactful
On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.
Work Experience
Your resume work experience section is the chance to show your relevant previous jobs and career achievements as an event manager. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.
Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.
A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in an event manager resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
Good example:
Event Coordinator, January 2022 - Present
Eclipse Event Solutions, Boise
- Successfully organized and executed a 500-guest corporate gala, increasing attendee satisfaction scores by 30%
- Managed logistics for a multi-day international conference, resulting in a 25% cost reduction and seamless attendee experience
- Coordinated a charity fundraiser event, raising $100,000 and exceeding the initial goal by 50%
Bad example:
Event Coordinator, January 2022 - Present
Eclipse Event Solutions, Boise
- Led various events, ensuring smooth operations and positive outcomes
- Managed event logistics, contributing to overall success
- Coordinated multiple projects, achieving favorable results
In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.
Education and Qualifications
Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for event manager roles.
An event manager role tends to require candidates to have a university or college degree, so make sure you list yours in your resume. A Bachelor of Arts in Event Management degree or similar is the most suitable for this job, but you could also include any other relevant qualifications that show your contract negotiation skills or CRM software proficiency.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Arts in Event Management, 2017 - 2020
Brown University, Providence, RI
Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to an event manager role. Skills such as project management tools or time management skills are particularly useful for event manager jobs. Again, refer to the event manager job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.
Highlighting your hard skills
In your hard skills list, include any specific abilities related to the role you're applying for. These could be technical skills or industry knowledge that showcases your expertise in your chosen profession. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in an event manager resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for an event manager resume below.
- Project management tools
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Contract negotiation skills
Adding soft skills to your event manager resume
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. Think of your best soft skills and add up to five that match the requirements of the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for an event manager resume, see below.
- Time management skills
- Communication and negotiation
- Problem-solving abilities
Relevant Certifications and Licenses
In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as an event manager. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for event manager roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
Below you can find several examples of certifications for an event manager resume:
- CMP - Certified Meeting Professional, 2022
- CSEP - Certified Special Events Professional, 2022
- DES - Digital Event Strategist, 2022
Additional Information
If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for an event manager resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.
Personal Hobbies and Interests
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Only include hobbies and interests that showcase your personality and personal qualities, and add something different to your application.
Volunteer Experience
Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your event manager resume. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
Standard event manager resumes don't tend to include references, but you might find them requested occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best words to use in an event manager resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Coordinate
- Organize
- Plan
- Execute
- Manage
- Supervise
- Negotiate
- Direct
- Oversee
- Facilitate
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Sample resume for event manager positions
The event manager resume example below incorporates all the information from above into a full-designed resume template, so you can see how a final resume will look:
29 Acacia Road, Nutwood, CA
•
noah.hernandez@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/noah–hernandez123
Dynamic and results-driven Event Manager with a Bachelor of Arts in Event Management and extensive experience as an Event Coordinator. Skilled in planning, organizing, and executing diverse events, ensuring seamless logistics and exceptional client satisfaction. Proven ability to manage budgets, negotiate with vendors, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality events. Strong communication and problem-solving skills, with a track record of meeting and exceeding client expectations.
Event Coordinator
2020
-2022
Radiant Events Co (Phoenix)
- Successfully planned and executed over 50 corporate events annually, consistently receiving a 95% satisfaction rate from clients
- Reduced event costs by 20% through strategic vendor negotiations and efficient budget management, increasing overall profitability
- Coordinated a 3-day international conference with 1,000+ attendees, managing logistics, speakers, and accommodations seamlessly
Project management tools
Budgeting and forecasting
Contract negotiation skills
Time management skills
Communication and negotiation
Problem-solving abilities
CMP - Certified Meeting Professional
CSEP - Certified Special Events Professional
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for an event manager resume
Simple tips for creating a winning resume
- Showcase your key skills throughout your resume, as well as in your dedicated skills list, with each skill reflecting the job description.
- Tailor your resume for each application you send. Review the job description and adapt the content to reflect the specific requirements, including key skills and experience.
- Use reverse-chronological order for your work and education, starting with your most recent employment and education.
- Use a well-structured resume layout that optimizes headings, structure, margins, fonts and line spacing to make your document as accessible as possible to the reader.
- Use strong action words to demonstrate the impact you've made in each event manager role (e.g. 'execute', 'manage', 'supervise').
Steer clear of these common resume writing errors
- Don't fill up your event manager resume with unnecessary information that contributes nothing to your chances of success.
- Don't fill your resume with industry jargon or business-speak that could alienate the reader.
- Don't forget to review your contact information before sending your resume, to ensure it's all up-to-date.
- Don't list personal details such as your age, gender or a photo, unless these are necessary for the role. They can lead to hiring bias.
- Don't include hobbies unless they help you prove a skill or experience that's necessary for the job.
How to make an ATS-friendly resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your event manager resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
- Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
If you're looking for inspiration for your resume, discover our comprehensive resume examples and in-depth, expert career blog.
An event manager resume FAQs
As well as writing a professional event manager resume, you'll need a cover letter to introduce yourself and emphasize your credentials.
Check the job description to see whether a full, formal cover letter is necessary. In some situations, it might be more suitable to simply send a brief email to introduce yourself and accompany your resume.
If you choose to write a full cover letter, follow traditional letter-writing conventions surrounding greetings, sign-offs and use of professional language. The body of the cover letter tends to be three paragraphs. The first introduces yourself and the role you're applying for, giving reasons for your application. The second briefly covers your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to event manager roles. Finally, the third paragraph re-emphasizes your interest in the role and leaves a call to action, encouraging the employer to reach out to you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
There are plenty of ways to still make a positive impression with your event manager resume, even if you lack relevant work experience. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Utilize additional sections at the end of your resume to show you've got what it takes to do the job. These include hobbies and interests, voluntary roles, certifications and internships.
You can use a resume headline to introduce your document and set the tone for your event manager applications. Resume headlines can also help you pass the ATS stage of the selection process, by highlighting the job title and one or two key details. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
See an example resume headline below:
- Junior Event Coordination Specialist
- Expert Event Planning Professional
- Senior Event Management Professional
The best resume format for you depends on two things. Firstly, it depends on your experience level. Secondly, it depends on the type and level of position you're applying for. For applicants without much relevant work experience, a functional resume format tends to be best. This places the emphasis on your key skills and relevant qualifications. If, however, you have relevant work experience in the industry, it's typically best to use a reverse chronological resume format. This highlights your achievements in work, which is probably the most important factor for hiring managers to consider.
Key takeaways for your event manager resume
An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
Jobseeker has a wealth of resume tools, including resume templates and examples, to help you create a winning job application. Sign up today to get started. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
