Top Three Takeways From This Semester

This semester has been filled with role-playing, field trips, case studies and of course, lots of reading!  Looking back, I would say my top three takeaways are:

1) Strategic Planning
Although, I have been a meeting planner in DC for the past five years, I often forget about strategic planning for my events. In the back of my mind and the minds of colleagues, I think we create objectives for each event, but we don't share them with each other or write them down. I know now that objectives for each event need to be specific and measurable through KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). I also realize through the Project Management exercise, in which we created the Gantt chart for the next Haskayne BBQ, that it's important to measure your objectives periodically throughout the planning process as well.

2) Social Tables
Our class field trip to the Social Tables office was my favorite because I had no idea the cloud based design software existed, or at least I thought. I like that it's the ideal hybrid of all the existing design software systems in that it's easy to use (after the brief video tutorial) and interactive (since it's cloud based). In my opinion, I would use the software more if I was not a meeting planner for an association but instead on the other side of the event, working as an event planner for a Destination Management Company or DMC. On that note, as an association meeting planner, I would certainly love to work with a company that offered me access to collaborate and give feedback on event designs that they created for my events. I also think Social Tables would be incredibly useful if I were working on the hosted venue side of event planning, such as the Special Events Director of a Smithsonian museum (which also happens to be the position of the woman I interviewed for our information interview project). On a final note, soon after our field trip, I realized that Social Tables was already in my life. I worked with the Hyatt Regency on a panel discussion event in mid-November, and it turns out they used Social Tables to provide me with all of the layouts for my meeting spaces!

3) Informational Interview
The most impactful takeaway I received from our Event Management course, was from my informational interview with Linda Hicks, Director of Special Events at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Linda has over 27 years of experience in the event planning field in DC. She generously gave me an hour and a half of her time to answer my interview questions and share stories and tips. A few of her many tips were:

1. Be careful to whom you give rental discounts for event space. When Linda first got to the museum, they were giving away too many museum rental space discounts to regular clients, which resulted in a huge loss of revenue. Soon after being hired, she implemented a new system so that only the million dollar donors received a discount - a system which surprisingly was met with little resistance.
2. It's a small field! Linda stressed to be sure to network and attend new social events regularly to get to know others in the field because everyone knows everyone (especially those in upper management). 
3. Don't talk too much during a job interview: Linda said the top thing job applicants do wrong during an interview is talk way too much without really saying anything. She suggested to really make sure you listen during an interview as well. 

Overall, it was a great semester that opened my eyes up to what I can do better at my current position and how to take steps towards advancing my career.