Tips for landing your dream events gig: one industry pro’s journey

Priya Narain, Event Sales Manager at KERB Events and Co-Founder of Event First Steps and Diverse Speaker Bureau is the latest guest to feature in our How I Got Here series.

It’s designed to provide budding event industry professionals with tips and advice for pursuing a career in our sector, and while we usually host these on our LinkedIn and Instagram platforms, Priya has such an interesting story to share, we’ve included more detail about her career journey and advice below.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was younger I really wanted to be a doctor, however once I realised the amount of studying involved, that was a dream that was quickly dropped!

How and when did you get your start in the industry?
I started out in the events industry in 2013, after being made redundant from a previous career in travel. My first role was as an intern - think the film The Intern starring Robert De Niro, I was that guy!

For this role I worked at a nightclub venue who utilised their expansive production equipment and sound and lighting elements to host large corporate parties in their massive event space.

How has that evolved over time (what other roles have you held)?
My first role made it clear to me that I did not like the operations and logistics side of events too much. I definitely didn't want to be on my feet all day, work ridiculous hours, or have to deal with the stresses involved when something goes wrong at an event.

So this naturally steered me towards the sales side of things. I was already an experienced sales professional from my previous career, so it was a natural fit for me.

I have since moved into the world of catering, which marries up a few of my favourite things about events: sales, networking and food. It’s a win win!

What’s an average day look like now?
I respond to sales proposals, meet and connect with clients, build relationships with key stakeholders, and actively source new business leads.

What do you love most about your job?
Making things happen and seeing an event being delivered from conception to execution. It's great to work with people who realise the important role that food plays in an event. Also, the eating part is fantastic!

Favourite project you’ve ever worked on?
The company I work for is making strides to be a more socially impactful business. So while I haven't started working on anything yet, I am really looking forward to getting more involved in this side of the business, as it’s something that I’m really passionate about.

What’s your top piece of advice for someone looking to pursue a role like yours?
Reach out to people who are in similar positions to those you'd like to have, or who work in a company that you aspire to work for, and ask to catch up with them to find out more about what they actually do.

There are so many roles in the events industry, and you may realise there is something out there that you hadn't previously considered, or maybe the role you’re working towards isn't really all it’s cracked up to be. Knowledge is power!

This is also a great way to increase your own professional network and make yourself known to others already in the industry.