Event Manager resume examples & templates

Event managers are the glue that keeps events and meetings together. From planning to coordinating to executing, they do it all. This well-rounded expertise will serve you well in the creation of your event manager resume, too.

Entry-level

Mid-career

Senior-level

Use this template

Use this template

Use this template

A compelling event manager resume will display your ability to lead projects, plan events both large and small, and work with anyone, anywhere. 

Resume guide for an event manager resume

Expect success with Resume.io. Our comprehensive guides and resume examples cover over 500 career paths, and our helpful resume builder makes it easier than ever to create a winning resume. 

This resume guide and event manager resume example will cover the following details: 

• How to write an event manager resume
• How to choose the right resume format for event management
• Adding your contact information
• Writing compelling summaries
• Adding your event management experience
• Listing education and relevant credentials
• Picking the best resume design/layout
• What the event management market looks like and the salary you can expect

How to write an event manager resume

Just like you need to understand the requirements before planning a huge event, your first step when writing your resume is to understand the required elements to include:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (also called a profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The skills section
• The education section

Each of these sections should reflect your unique value as an event planner or manager. In the same way a well thought-out event can influence customers or stakeholders to recommend your services, a well-done resume will convince hiring managers to interview you. 

This process begins with a formula like the following:

• Showcase your achievements rather than your responsibilities. Anyone can list the daily duties they executed, but not everyone has made the impact you have. Show the value you brought to previous employers.
• Tailor your resume to each company you apply to, making sure to focus on the right types of experience and skills. Keep keywords in mind, too, to ensure success whether your resume is viewed by a recruiter or ATS screening software.
• Present yourself professionally with an event manager resume template that’s polished and pleasing to the eye, but not overly stuffy or formal.

Choosing the right resume format for an event manager

Event managers must be organized and able to keep track of a lot of moving parts. Reflect this on your resume by using a straightforward, clear format. 

In most cases, that will mean using the reverse chronological format. This format focuses primarily on your work experience, listed in reverse chronological order. 

If you’re new to the professional world or making a career change from another industry, you may want to explore alternative formats. One of these is the functional format, which puts your skills front and center. Or, for the best of both worlds, you could consider a hybrid format.

Whichever you choose, you can see them in action in our resume examples and the resume templates in our resume builder. 

When it comes to design, event managers may want to show a little pizazz (after all, much of your job is ultimately marketing) with a creative layout. 

Include your contact information

Think of your resume header as its business card. This is where you will include the pertinent information for a company to contact you. 

The information in your header should be professionally presented and easy to access. Be sure to include the following:

• Your full name & title. Include your first and last name as well as the title you’re targeting.
• A professional email address. Use a clean email format like [email protected]—not a quirky or unprofessional email address.
• Your phone number. List the best number for someone to reach you, and make sure you have a professional voicemail greeting set up.
• Your general location. You need only list your city and state. There’s no need to list your street address or zip code. Note 'Willing to Relocate' here if applicable.
• A link to LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is active, relevant, and shows your network, you can include it here.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: This isn't necessary or customary, and could potentially lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: Your marital status, social security number, passport number, etc. can all be left off.

Make use of a summary

Your resume summary serves as an introduction of your skills and talents. In 2-3 sentences, you’ll share who you are and how you meet the company’s needs. The summary should give a picture of your career story, not just a reiteration of your day-to-day duties.

The best way to do this is by using dynamic action verbs in the simple past or present tense—coordinated, planned, spearheaded, initiated, enhanced—and include quantifiable results where you can.

Don’t just summarize your resume, however. Your goal is to present a narrative of your event management expertise and how you will offer unique value to your future employer.

You can find adaptable event manager resume examples summary below:

Outline your event manager work experience 

If you’re using the reverse chronological format, this section will begin with your current or most recent job and work backwards from there. Stick with the past 10-15 years; anything older is probably not as relevant. Keep the experience related to your target job, too. If you have other work experience you feel strongly about including, you can create an “Other Experience” section. 

List your company name, job title, and dates worked, then add concise bullet points underneath to show your contributions. Start each bullet with a verb and make the short statement count. 

That means you shouldn’t just list the daily duties you completed. It’s easy to fall into the trap of writing a resume with bullets like these:

• “Manage event coordinators and plan events.”
• “Negotiate contracts with vendors and manage budgets.”
• “Ensure seamless event execution.”

While those are certainly important aspects of an event manager role, there’s nothing there that illustrates the unique achievements you’ve made. You want to show your impact, not just that you showed up to work every day. 

Replace vague statements with results-based points, focusing on the results you brought: money saved, number of events created, revenue increases, etc. When you do that, it completely transforms your statements into something much more impactful: 

• “Manage a team of 5 event coordinators and oversee the planning and execution of 30+ events annually.”
• “Negotiate contracts with vendors and manage budgets of up to $500,000 per event.”
• “Ensure seamless event execution by coordinating logistics, including venue selection, catering, audio-visual equipment, and transportation.”

Take a look at the event manager employment history resume sample below:

How to write an event manager resume with no experience

If you’re hoping to make a career pivot to event management but lack direct experience, there are still ways to increase your chances of success. You may want to consider shooting for an event coordinator or planner role first, but the details you’ll include on your resume are the same.

First, be sure to emphasize your transferable skills. Have you done other types of project coordination? Have you led marketing for events, even if you didn’t work on the event itself? Or, perhaps you’ve staffed large events and gotten to see behind the scenes a bit. You can also showcase skills in communication or customer service. 

Education counts, too. Include relevant degrees (for instance, in marketing or sales) and certifications. Don’t forget about any courses or workshops you’ve attended that align with the event field. 

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great event manager

Your resume’s skill section should include both hard and soft skills to paint the full picture of your ability to lead events. 

Hard skills are those that can be measured and demonstrated, like experience with specific software, knowledge of industry processes, or project management methodologies. 

On the other hand, soft skills like customer service, communication skills, organizational abilities, and multitasking can be of utmost importance for an event management job. 

Resume.io’s resume builder provides several pre-written key skills to choose from, along with proficiency ranges you can set to reflect your skill level. You can also write in your own skills.

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our event manager resume template. 

This section, however, is not the only place to show your skills. Illustrate them throughout your resume by demonstrating them in action, particularly in the summary and experience sections. 

Consider highlighting your:

• Event management skills by describing your role in an event team, the size and scale of events you’ve managed, and the impact of those events
• Vendor management skills by detailing how you have negotiated and collaborated with vendors to make events a success
• Problem solving skills by showing examples of challenging events, last-minute solutions, or other examples of creative problem solving

The job description is a great guide as to which key skills to focus on.

Detail your education & relevant event management certifications

The education section on your resume is fairly straightforward. Simply list your educational achievements in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the institution, the degree or certificate earned, and, if from the past five years, the dates attended.

If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher, you can leave off high school details. 

Beyond academic credentials, though, there are several other items you may want to add in this section. For example,

• Training and certifications. Courses, workshops, or even webinars that enhance your event management skills. This includes certifications like Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP).
• Internships. If you held any event-related internships throughout your educational career, make note of them here.
• Professional development. Memberships in business or trade associations like PCMA or MPI shows your passion for the industry and commitment to staying informed of trends and updates.

Pick the right resume layout and design for an event manager resume

You strive to run events that are streamlined, organized, and accessible for all. Your resume should be the same way.

While the most important part of your resume is the content, the way it looks matters, too. After all, you wouldn’t want to throw a black-tie event in a dingy parking garage. You want your resume to reflect the same care (and flair!) you bring to events. 

This means your resume should use a layout that is eye-catching, easy to read, and nice to look at. A pop of color is fine, but don’t go overboard with several colors. There’s no benefit to adding graphics or images; it just creates clutter. A clean but modern font plus a balance of whitespace and text will make your words the focal point. 

Although creating a properly crafted resume takes time and effort, there are ways to make it easier. Consider taking a look at our resume templates, which take the heavy design and structure work off your hands so you can focus on the content. 

Event manager text-only resume example

Event manager job market and outlook

If you’re targeting a career in the event space, you’re in luck. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates the field of “meeting, convention, and event planners” to grow 8% in the next decade. That’s much faster than average.

There is some worry, however, that the rise of virtual meetings and events could hinder growth in this sector. 

What type of salary you can expect in event management

Per the BLS, meeting, convention, and event planners earn a median salary of $56,920. The lowest 10 percent of workers earned under $34,410, but the highest 10 percent earned over $99,010. 

From an industry perspective, the highest-paid event professionals are in the sector of “religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations,” while the lowest-paid are those in the arts, entertainment, and recreation.

Key takeaways for building a car sales resume

An event management career is ideal for those who are highly organized, love a fast pace, and thrive on bringing people together. Effective communication and project management skills are paramount, both to succeed as an event manager and to craft a strong event manager resume. 

Our online resume builder can make the resume-creation process simpler and more efficient, setting you up with a resume that will wow hiring managers and let you land a job you love.