Requirements

Conference and exhibition manager or organiser - requirements

As a conference and exhibition manager or organiser, you’ll use your creativity and organisation skills to manage, plan and deliver business conferences, exhibitions and similar events. Read our guide to see if this is the career for you and what you need to do to work in this sector.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be a conference and exhibition manager or organiser?

Most jobs in this field need an undergraduate degree. Subject areas to consider include:

Please note this is a beta version. We'll continue to improve our suggestions here so that we show you the most relevant subjects.

Do you need a postgraduate qualification to be a conference and exhibition manager or organiser?

You’re unlikely to need a postgraduate qualification to get employed as a conference and exhibition manager or organiser. However, having one can definitely boost your skills and subject knowledge.

Examples of taught MAs and research degrees at postgraduate level include MAs in:

Creative events management
International sport and event management
Exhibition design
International festival and event management

What skills do you need to be a conference and exhibition manager or organiser?

Conference and exhibition managers and organisers need to enjoy working with people but must also use their leadership skills to run successful events.

Hard skills usually include:

Event management
Sales
Branding
Advertising
Finance
Customer relationship management

Soft skills include:

Communication
Marketing
Leadership
Customer service
Eye for detail
Microsoft Office

Do you need work experience to be a conference and exhibition manager or organiser?

Jobs in this sector are very competitive so you’ll usually need some previous work experience to be considered. This can often be gained during a relevant university degree that may include a placement year. Failing that, experience in the hospitality industry or a sales or marketing role could be useful.