What does an event host do?
An event host utilizes their organizational and people skills in making guests feel comfortable at various events and places. Most of their time is spent standing up and walking to greet and assist guests, facilitate programs and activities, answer inquiries, and supervise staff and other services. In some situations, an event host may participate in organizing the events, from planning to execution. They typically meet with clients to identify their needs and preferences, reach out to vendors and suppliers, book venues and caterers, and resolve issues should any arise.
Event host responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real event host resumes:
- Manage guest lists and VIP areas with emphasis on strategic placement design to boost company profile and maximize profit.
- Manage party reservations in efficient manner.
- Manage servers and tables to ensure and safeguard efficient restaurant operations.
- Host club-sponsore events by helping plan events, waiting tables and bartending.
- Help the kids with bowling and laser tag, serve pizza for the children, and serve food/alcohol for the adults.
- Complete CPR and a certification.
- Be able to administer CPR if ever need.
- Update menu pages and wine lists of current meal items.
- Acquire all necessary resources, permits, and reservations for events.
- Be organize and knowledgeable of open table and POS computer systems.
- Serve alcoholic beverages including wine, beer, and specialty drinks.
- Provide efficient telephone service as it relates to general PBX services.
- Handle the POS system throughout the shift in order to execute orders.
- Host to VIP parties, concerts, business meetings and film/photo shoots.
- Work alongside servers to help serve drinks, food and communicate with tables.
Event host skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Event Hosts are proficient in Reservations, Customer Service, and TIP. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Physical strength, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Event Hosts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Reservations, 17%
Managed party reservations in efficient manner.
- Customer Service, 16%
Trained and supervised new employees regarding industry guidelines and customer service standards.
- TIP, 13%
Developed store-wide tip out procedure to ensure accountability and positive morale with staff.
- Corporate Events, 11%
Planned and organized celebrations and corporate events to customer's satisfaction.
- POS, 9%
Be organized and knowledgeable of open table and POS computer systems.
- Event Space, 6%
Assisted in the design, planning and construction of a multitude of visual elements in the event space.
Most event hosts use their skills in "reservations," "customer service," and "tip" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential event host responsibilities here:
Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for an event host to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what event hosts do because "food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry." Additionally, an event host resume shows how event hosts use customer-service skills: "served as the main liaison between customers, management and sales team. "
Physical strength. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling event host duties is physical strength. The role rewards competence in this skill because "food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds." According to an event host resume, here's how event hosts can utilize physical strength in their job responsibilities: "core strengths active learning skills work well independently customer service expert courteous demeanor"
Communication skills. This is an important skill for event hosts to perform their duties. For an example of how event host responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "food and beverage serving and related workers must listen to customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared as requested." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an event host: "managed front desk, answered phones and held communication with customers to ensure they were satisfied. ".
The three companies that hire the most event hosts are:
- Nordstrom37 event hosts jobs
- Yaymaker33 event hosts jobs
- Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Centers16 event hosts jobs
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Compare different event hosts
Event host vs. Maitre d
In a restaurant setting, a host/hostess serves as the clients' primary point of contact as they enter the premises. They mostly greet and welcome clients, process reservations, and assist by escorting them to their tables, providing them menus, and responding to any inquiries or concerns. Aside from engaging with clients, a host/hostess may manage reservations by handling calls, coordinate with all employees, and manage waiting areas. Furthermore, as a host/hostess, it is essential to prioritize customer satisfaction, all while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an event host are more likely to require skills like "tip," "corporate events," "quality customer service," and "event space." On the other hand, a job as a maitre d requires skills like "wine," "cleanliness," "culinary," and "open table." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that maitre ds earn slightly differ from event hosts. In particular, maitre ds are 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an event host. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Event host vs. Host coordinator
Each career also uses different skills, according to real event host resumes. While event host responsibilities can utilize skills like "tip," "quality customer service," "event space," and "upselling," host coordinators use skills like "servers," "host families," "ran," and "guest service."
In general, host coordinators achieve higher levels of education than event hosts. They're 5.5% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Event host vs. Host/hostess
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from event host resumes include skills like "tip," "corporate events," "quality customer service," and "event space," whereas a host/hostess is more likely to list skills in "cleanliness," "food handling," "seat guests," and "to-go orders. "
Host/hostesses earn the highest salary when working in the media industry, where they receive an average salary of $28,662. Comparatively, event hosts have the highest earning potential in the education industry, with an average salary of $29,434.host/hostesses typically earn similar educational levels compared to event hosts. Specifically, they're 3.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Event host vs. Attractions host
Types of event host
Updated January 8, 2025
