To Be (Certified), or Not To Be (Certified)? That is the question...

We all know that education is fundamental, no matter what field we pursue. After all, we spend most of our lives in school, beginning with pre-school and sometimes ending with college. Nowadays, it doesn't even stop there as more and more people are pursuing graduate degrees. Degrees in event or meeting planning are relatively new, and didn't even really exist when I was in college (which was only three years ago!). As a matter of fact, the closest related major that was offered was Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management. With event planning's growing popularity as a career choice, it leaves one to wonder how it's possible to get a start if you've had little to no experience. There are two sides to this coin: either you go to school and enroll in a degree or certificate program, or get out there and start working!

As a student currently enrolled in the Meeting, Conference and Event Management certificate program at the New York University, I've been asking myself that same question. These programs can be a bit expensive, so I'm always looking for ways to be more resourceful and still gain experience. I did some research and found a few articles that addressed this issue.

The first, "Meetings Industry Certifications", was about just that. The article gave a very helpful run-down of commonly found certifications for corporate planners, and broke down their meanings and qualifications. 
Read it here: Meetings Industry Certification

The second, "To CMP or Not to CMP", addressed whether it was beneficial to become a Certified Meeting Professional. Some interesting points were:

• John Touchette, CMP, general director for John Hancock Financial Services stated, "I believe that having a CMP helps to get a meeting planner's resume to the top of the pile when interviewing."
• Meeting planners view certification as a key tool in efforts to enhance their professional image.
• Rob Cingras, Asst. Director, Conference Management for Cigna said, "Having the CMP doesn't necessarily add to your skills, but it gives you recognition. It says that you are more than a party planner."

Read it here: To CMP Or Not to CMP

The last article, "Expand Your Event Planning Knowledge", gave more of an overview of the things that a new event planner can do to bolster their skills. Their advice:

• Education for event planning: "If you've got the time and the money, go for it."
• Intern
• Moonlight: "You don't necessarily have to start your company and have that be the only thing you do."
• Research: "Don't always go looking for a job. Go looking for information."
• Attend tradeshows: "Tradeshows are a great way to stay on top of trends, educate yourself about the process, network with vendors and make fabulous new friends."

Read it here: Expand Your Event Planning Knowledge

After reading these three articles, I side with the statement that "If you've got the time and the money, go for it." I think this is the best way to receive a great educational foundation, while applying what you've learned in real-world situations. Perhaps if you're more of a school person, you should switch it up and try getting out there and volunteering. If you usually steer clear of books or anything school related, maybe its time to get back in there and hit the books.

If event planning is a new undertaking for you, don't be afraid to think and step outside of the box. I always remember the saying "If you always do what you've always done...you'll always get what you've always gotten."