How to hire an event planner

How to hire an event planner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step event planner hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an event planner job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new event planner
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an event planner do?

Post an event planner job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your event planner job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an event planner for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an event planner to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an event planner that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of event planners.

   Type of Event Planner	Description	Hourly rate
   Event Planner	Meeting, convention, and event planners coordinate all aspects of events and professional meetings. They arrange meeting locations, transportation, and other details.	$16-35
   Conference Coordinator	A conference coordinator organizes professional gatherings and meetings according to a client's needs and preferences. There are also instances where they may plan reunions, parties, and other events... Show more	$15-25
   Site Coordinator	A site coordinator is responsible for organizing special events and programs based on a client's specifications or a business's needs. Site coordinators ensure that the plan will go well by monitoring their resources, coordinating with third-party services, researching the best settings, finalizing the list of attendees, and managing the budget goals... Show more	$12-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Vendor Contracts
   • Plan Events
   • Event Management
   • PowerPoint
   • Event Logistics
   • Planning Process
   • Corporate Events
   • Facebook
   • Event Space
   • Social Events
   • Trade Shows
   • Event Coordination
   • Event Budgets

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage client RFP s, develop detailed proposals & client pitches.
   • Produce, implement, and manage sales lead forms and online surveys to determine overall ROI.
   • Manage VIP & bottle service, sell tickets, hire promoters, promotional models, disc jockeys & staff for venues.
   • Manage and ship all marketing and advertising kits and giveaways for career fairs, on-campus presentations, final rounds and orientations.
   • Coordinate and host successful client seminars, creating invitations and promotional materials, booking venues, and selecting guest speakers.
   • Coordinate travel arrangements, including booking airfare, hotel and transportation.

   More event planner duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your event planner job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An event planner salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, event planners' average salary in missouri is 54% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level event planners earn 53% less than senior-level event planners.
   • Certifications. An event planner with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an event planner's salary.

   Average event planner salary

   $51,542yearly

   $24.78 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level event planner salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average event planner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$71,569	$34
   2	New York	$68,832	$33
   3	New Jersey	$66,965	$32
   4	Virginia	$66,047	$32
   5	District of Columbia	$65,194	$31
   6	Ohio	$59,395	$29
   7	Massachusetts	$57,201	$28
   8	Washington	$56,840	$27
   9	California	$55,743	$27
   10	Pennsylvania	$55,227	$27
   11	Minnesota	$52,679	$25
   12	Michigan	$50,925	$24
   13	Arizona	$47,055	$23
   14	North Carolina	$46,222	$22
   15	Illinois	$45,765	$22
   16	Indiana	$45,270	$22
   17	Nevada	$43,412	$21
   18	Texas	$42,899	$21
   19	Wisconsin	$42,306	$20
   20	Georgia	$42,158	$20

   Average event planner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Intelliswift	$89,458	$43.01
   2	Salk Institute for Biological Studies	$82,497	$39.66
   3	UBS	$81,140	$39.01	1
   4	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$78,046	$37.52	39
   5	Stanford Health Care	$71,010	$34.14
   6	Sabre	$70,699	$33.99
   7	Morgan Stanley	$69,526	$33.43	6
   8	Marcus & Millichap	$68,840	$33.10
   9	Deloitte	$67,313	$32.36	2
   10	Prudential Bank	$66,869	$32.15
   11	Stanford University	$66,860	$32.14	4
   12	IEEE Foundation	$64,647	$31.08
   13	Baptist Health Home Care	$63,510	$30.53	2
   14	BCforward	$63,285	$30.43	1
   15	Discover Vision	$63,252	$30.41
   16	Experis US Inc	$62,123	$29.87
   17	Regional Medical Center- Orangeburg	$61,741	$29.68	1
   18	Cenergy International Services	$60,214	$28.95
   19	Thomas Jefferson Foundation	$59,306	$28.51
   20	Burton Snowboards	$59,108	$28.42

4. Writing an event planner job description

   A good event planner job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an event planner job description:

   Event planner job description example

   Event Planner
   
   Minimum Education:
   
   Bachelor of Arts or Science Four or more years related experience will be considered in lieu of a degree
   
   Minimum Experience:
   
   2 years of related experience in event planning and execution. Non-profit experience preferred. Ability to work independently. Strong initiative with the ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities Ability to multi-task, prioritize and organize while acting to achieve specific results. Ability to establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships and work effectively with multiple teams. Ability to adjust and maintain effectiveness in the face of multiple demands, and challenges. Strong organizational, planning, and prioritization skills. Excellent written and oral communication skills with strong interpersonal skills. Results-driven, tenacious, strong attention to detail.
   
   Technical/Other:
   
   Commitment to the mission, vision, cultural values, and expectations of the National MS Society This position will be required to drive/travel on Society business. Candidate must possess a valid driver's license, proof of insurance and reliable transportation. The Society does run motor vehicle checks for all positions which require driving and the applicant must meet the Society guidelines Experience with logistical mapping and event diagram software such as Ride with GPS or Smartdraw a plus Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends to support volunteer committees and events, especially during peak event season (spring and fall)
   
   Compensation
   
   The estimated hiring compensation range for this role is $39,000 - $46,000. Final offers will be based on candidate geographic location and consider career experience and may vary from this range due to these and other factors.
   
   Benefits
   
   You will have the opportunity for a highly competitive, comprehensive benefits package that the Society provides to employees. Your benefits include a considerable Paid Time Off Plan; Paid Holidays; 401k Retirement Savings Plan with Society match; Educational Reimbursement Plan; Professional Development Assistance; Commuter Benefit Plan; Comprehensive Health & Welfare benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Flex Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Disability Coverage, Life Assistance Plan as well as additional voluntary benefit offerings. We value continuous learning and support your professional development through a Professional Development Assistance plan. You will join an incredible mission-focused team of people!
   
   Other Information:
   
   The National MS Society is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strive to create a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We need you and your unique talents and perspectives to help us write the last chapter on MS.
   
   All offers of employment are contingent upon the candidate showing proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (with a COVID-19 FDA-approved vaccine or a COVID-19 vaccine granted Emergency Use Authorization) by the date of hire. A candidate is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) or one dose of a single dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) or as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Candidates unable to be vaccinated, either because of a sincerely held religious belief or a medical condition or disability that prevents them from being vaccinated, can request a reasonable accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right event planner for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your event planner job on Zippia to find and recruit event planner candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit event planners, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new event planner

   Once you've found the event planner candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new event planner first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an event planner?