How would you like to organise a Eurovision Song Contest? Rescue a kidnapped Superman? Manage hundreds of kids in a theme park? Or is an international conference in Spain or a casino night in a country mansion more your cup of tea?



As an event organiser you might work for a firm that specialises in corporate hospitality, product launches, promotions, incentive days, team-building exercises or days out for staff. A family fun day could involve games, face-painting, circus workshops, quad bikes and a barbecue. A corporate “Eurovision Song Contest” is a cross between a social event and a bonding exercise.

You’ll need an impressive list of skills to do this job. Near the top comes painstaking attention to detail. Every last aspect of an event must be checked and double-checked. (You don’t want to commit the error of sending a group looking forward to a boozy Eurostar day trip to a team-building exercise in Fife). Add to that an ability to work under pressure, solve problems and stay calm in a crisis.

Simon Barratt of Leapfrog International, a corporate event organiser, rates flexibility highly. “Although we have separate sales and operations teams — the latter including our events managers — there is some overlap of roles. When necessary, everyone has to pitch in and help out. New clients are referred to my team and an account manager discusses requirements. When the proposal has been accepted, work passes to the operations team and an event manager is appointed.

Sometimes it might be me, even though I’m from sales. That’s what’s so enjoyable. The work is varied and no two events are ever the same.”

As for getting a start, it’s often a question of being in the right place at the right time when a company has a vacancy. Nearly all of Leapfrog’s staff are graduates — many in business studies, leisure, sport and tourism-related subjects. But Barratt emphasises that degree subject is less important than personality. He and his opposite number in operations have economics degrees. Personable people with communication skills win hands down. Trainees earn £14,000- £17,000. Expert organisers can earn more than £45,000.

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