Recruitment for event management companies

Hire before the season, not during it

A coordinator hired in the second week of November learns on a live wedding, which is risky for the client and hard on the new hire. Plan season hiring from August: raise requisitions for fixed-term coordinators and hospitality staff, and give them September and October to learn the company's run sheets, vendors and client handling on smaller events. For the corporate season, hire production and technical staff by September, before the first dealer meets and launches.

Where event staff come from

Event and hospitality management institutes supply interns and fresh coordinators every year. Hotels are a strong source for guest management and banquet experience, and production staff often come from the AV rental companies and fabrication vendors you already work with. Referrals from your own coordinators, and freelancers who have worked your events well, are often the best hires, since you have already seen them on a show day. Publish openings on the careers page and share the link with institutes and your vendor network.

Interviews that test show-day judgement

Ask scenario questions, not just questions about past events. The florist has not arrived and the pheras are in 90 minutes: what do you do? The CEO's presentation will not play on the LED wall ten minutes before his keynote: who do you call first? A client's mother wants the seating changed at the last minute: how do you handle it? Good candidates answer with specific steps and the names of people they would call. For production roles, add a practical check on reading a stage layout or a cue sheet.

Honest offers and fixed-term contracts

State the reality in the offer: long days on events, weekend and holiday work with comp-off, travel for destination events, and late finishes with transport home. For seasonal roles, a fixed-term contract to the end of February or March is common; fixed-term staff count as full employees under the Industrial Relations Code, not as contractors. A large applicant pool can be ranked with the resume match score, the pipeline board tracks each candidate, and candidates accept or decline the offer online.

How to set it up in ZeniaHR

1. Raise requisitions in August for fixed-term coordinators and hospitality staff, and by September for production roles.
2. Publish openings on the careers page and share the link with event management institutes, hotels and trusted vendors.
3. Use the resume match score to sort applicants, and record scenario answers and practical checks as screening notes.
4. Offer interview slots between events so managers can attend, and let candidates choose their slot.
5. Send offers that state hours, weekend work, travel and contract end dates; accepted candidates move straight into onboarding.
6. Each August, check recruitment analytics for pending offers and open requisitions before the season.

Read more about recruitment in ZeniaHR.

Roles this applies to

Frequently asked questions