How to hire an event specialist

How to hire an event specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step event specialist 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 specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new event specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an event specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the event specialist you need to hire. Certain event specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   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 specialist 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 specialist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of event specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Event Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Event Specialist	Meeting, convention, and event planners coordinate all aspects of events and professional meetings. They arrange meeting locations, transportation, and other details.	$12-30
   Planning Committee Member	The role of planning committee members is to assist with designing and implementing an educational activity. They need to ensure that the leadership gives the continuing education (CE) developer enough time to complete the CE process... Show more	$9-152
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Brand Awareness
   • Product Preparation
   • Product Demonstrations
   • Food Preparation
   • Food Safety
   • Product Knowledge
   • Program Materials
   • Food Products
   • Dependability
   • Event Planning
   • Trade Shows
   • In-Store Demonstrations
   • Event Execution
   • Customer Service

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage three key concierge brands with a high level of guest service and VIP attention.
   • Manage RSVP lists, checked-in attendees at events, and insure guest satisfaction at all times.
   • Build client pipeline by using SEO, Linkedin, Mattermarks, Angel.CO.
   • Establish streamline budget management process, enabling overall department to effectively tracking spending trend and ROI.
   • Post to Facebook and other media regarding up-coming event and/or event outcome.
   • Promote upcoming events and shows through marketing materials, emails and twitter.

   More event specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your event specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An event specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an event specialist in Kentucky may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level event specialist usually earns less than a senior-level event specialist. Additionally, an event specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average event specialist salary

   $41,294yearly

   $19.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level event specialist salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average event specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$61,052	$29
   2	District of Columbia	$51,651	$25
   3	Maine	$51,315	$25
   4	California	$49,276	$24
   5	Pennsylvania	$47,549	$23
   6	Massachusetts	$47,505	$23
   7	Virginia	$45,778	$22
   8	Maryland	$42,741	$21
   9	Florida	$40,822	$20
   10	Texas	$39,296	$19
   11	Michigan	$37,059	$18
   12	Rhode Island	$36,820	$18
   13	New Hampshire	$36,810	$18
   14	Colorado	$36,542	$18
   15	Washington	$36,518	$18
   16	Wisconsin	$35,790	$17
   17	Georgia	$35,275	$17
   18	North Carolina	$34,867	$17
   19	Minnesota	$34,692	$17
   20	Ohio	$33,727	$16

   Average event specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Shearman & Sterling	$183,249	$88.10
   2	Meta	$159,755	$76.81
   3	Venable	$135,243	$65.02
   4	CrowdStrike	$126,150	$60.65	1
   5	Cradlepoint	$110,412	$53.08
   6	2k	$102,015	$49.05
   7	Kern Community College District	$92,475	$44.46
   8	Palo Alto Networks	$89,136	$42.85	1
   9	Edward Jones	$86,866	$41.76
   10	John Wiley & Sons	$84,862	$40.80
   11	Boston Scientific	$77,988	$37.49
   12	The Aerospace Corporation	$77,782	$37.40	1
   13	Edwards Lifesciences	$77,479	$37.25
   14	Vista Equity Partners	$74,380	$35.76	1
   15	Cummins	$73,009	$35.10
   16	GLG	$71,644	$34.44
   17	Wellington Management	$71,637	$34.44
   18	ON24	$70,455	$33.87
   19	Corning Incorporated	$68,532	$32.95	3
   20	Sony Electronics	$68,182	$32.78

4. Writing an event specialist job description

   An event specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an event specialist job description:

   Event specialist job description example

   · Manage and execute 15+ trade shows and events in a given year both domestic and international.

   · Develops, plans, and executes all Special Events and Promotions.

   · Contributes to program development in alignment with the marketing senior leadership to help the department achieve its goals.

   · Oversees the submission of, and approval and verification of, all contracts, proposals, purchase requisitions, and any other company document needed to fulfill the planning and execution of an event or promotion.

   · Responsible for project management and meeting timelines.

   · Maintains security and confidentiality of files, records, and lists.

   · Establishes and maintains an effective working relationship with other departments.

   · Works with vendors to arrange for food & beverage, decorations, gifts, entertainment, and supplies for all events.

   · Accurately tracks all expenses for events & promotions and prepare proforma for analysis and financial review.

   · Coordinates approved events with emphasis on quality, as well as remaining within budgetary guidelines.

   · Uses available resource to create coverage schedules.

   · Communicates event schedule and details to the stakeholders, including internal collateral distribution and conducting weekly meetings.

   Required Skills/Abilities:

   · Extensive knowledge of industry trade show operations.

   · Proven ability to plan and execute event strategy.

   · Excellent written communication skills.

   · Excellent interpersonal and networking skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with vendors and other departments.

   · Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

   · Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.

   · Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

   · Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

   · Highly creative and imaginative.

   Required:

   · Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Advertising, Communications or related field

   · 5+ years of experience in tradeshow booth production and special event coordination

   · Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities with minimal supervision

   · Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines

   · Self-motivated, creative, and a team player

   · Ability to engage with others

   · Preferred experience in the Casino Gaming industry

   Interblock USA L.C. Benefits include:

   · Employer paid Medical, Dental, & Vision for Employee, low costs for dependent plans

   · Employer paid Life Insurance

   · 3 weeks of Vacation

   · Paid Holiday

   · 401k Savings Plan (with 100% Matching Contribution on first 3%)

   Company DescriptionCasino operators worldwide know Interblock® as a leading developer and supplier of luxury electronic table gaming products. Our multi-player gaming devices continually set industry standards and provide the ultimate in luxury interactive entertainment experiences for our customers’ players.
   
   The Interblock brand is globally recognized for diamond-quality gaming solutions and technical support in more than 166 jurisdictions. Our exclusive collection of fully and semi-automated electronic gaming tables and video gaming solutions provide casinos, racinos, arcades and gambling halls with superior product performance and provide their guests with a one-of-a-kind and unforgettable gaming experience.
   
   In 2014, Interblock’s parent company was renamed INTERBLOCK d.d. (formerly Elektroncek d.d.). INTERBLOCK d.d. is located in Slovenia, home to the company’s R&D department and primary productions facilities. Subsidiary companies Interblock USA LC, Interblock Asia and Interblock Casino Products Canada operate as distributors of Interblock® gaming devices for designated markets, and Interblock USA LC is the distributor for Interblock® gaming devices across the United States.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right event specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with event specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit event specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with event specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 specialist

   Once you've found the event specialist 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new event specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 specialist?