Event Manager Interview

Can you describe your experience with end-to-end project management in events?

Yes absolutely. I have had the opportunity to work on many exciting events over the past year in an end-to-end capacity. Namely, I have worked end-to-end on an annual showcase of Pernod Ricard products, called 'Christmas in September'. I was involved at pitch stage with this job, I did the venue outreach, created a top selection and upon client selection, led on the contracting and invoicing for the venue. I also led on the creative of the project, managing the 12 brands that showcased, understanding their individual needs and ensuring that they saw success through our event. I coordinated a small team of creatives and production from creative concept to delivery, inventorising and overseeing the fabrication of all elements, and ensuring the client was taken along every step of the way, feeling heard with their feedback and asset adjustments. It was a fantastic opportunity to see the concept from initiation to delivery, and the client was very happy with the results.

Your answer effectively addresses the question by clearly delineating your experience with end-to-end project management in the context of event management. You provide a specific example, “Christmas in September,” which showcases your direct involvement in multiple phases of the event planning process. Here’s a breakdown of your answer:

1. Specificity: You name a particular event, which adds credibility and allows the interviewer to visualize your experience.

2. Comprehensive Workflow: You outline the stages of project management, from initial pitch to venue outreach, contracting, creative concept development, team coordination, and final delivery. This illustrates a solid grasp of the entire lifecycle.

3. Collaboration and Communication: By mentioning how you engaged with brands and ensured the client felt heard, you highlight important soft skills such as communication and stakeholder management.

4. Results-Focused: You conclude by mentioning client satisfaction, which emphasizes the positive outcomes of your efforts.

However, your answer could be improved by:

- Adding a brief mention of challenges faced and how you overcame them, which would demonstrate problem-solving skills.
- Highlighting any metrics or specific feedback received from the client to further substantiate the success of the event.

Overall, your answer is clear and relevant, but including those additional elements would enhance it.

Rating: 4/5.

How do you approach developing creative concepts from a client's brief?

Obviously every brief is highly unique in its nature, and needs to be treated on a case-by-case basis - there's not a copy and paste answer that would apply to every client. Nevertheless, there are consistencies across the projects, and ways to ensure a high quality of project delivery. When an RFP is received, it is important to take your time in reading it through, and digesting all provided information and supplementary reference material. There may be a prearranged opportunity to ask questions on the brief, but if not, this should be scheduled, as it is key to ensure clear understanding, especially when it comes to internal brand terminology and processes. Once all outstanding questions have been answered and the brief is clear, the creative concepts can begin. This would involve an internal round table involving mid level management, the account director and any assigned creatives. I prefer to have a blue sky thinking session where every concept is on the table, and the team can bounce off each others ideas, as this provides the most out of the box thinking. After this, brainstormed ideas are consolidated into feasible formats, and a costing process is undertaken to ensure all formats are financially viable. A Production Manager is particularly required at this stage. Then once the team is in agreement, the Creative persons can develop a number of visual proposals, along with any necessary storyboarding of consumer journey, and moodboarding. The concepts should then be presented back to the client, leading them on a story of the creative, and to check when feedback is to be expected. Once consolidated feedback is received, adjustments can be made to the designs, before resubmission. Design processes usually adhere to 3 design iterations before final sign off, timeline dependent of course. An example of this was L'Oreal Kerastase where their brief was interpreted as a "Glosshouse", and the client supplied useful feedback we used to make the concept stronger.

Your answer effectively addresses the question by outlining a structured and thoughtful approach to developing creative concepts from a client's brief. You emphasize the uniqueness of each brief, which is crucial in event management, and provide a clear step-by-step process for how you would navigate each project.

Strengths of your response include:
1. Thoroughness: You cover the importance of understanding the brief, engaging with the client, and fostering a collaborative environment through brainstorming sessions.
2. Collaborative Approach: Highlighting the role of collaboration with mid-level management and creatives shows your awareness of team dynamics.
3. Practicality: Mentioning financial viability considerations and the need for a Production Manager indicates practical awareness of event management complexities.
4. Real-World Example: Using the L'Oreal Kerastase example adds credibility to your expertise and illustrates your process in action.

Areas for improvement:
1. Conciseness: While detail is important, streamlining your response could enhance clarity and engagement. Focus on the key elements of your process without delving too deeply into every step.
2. Client Relationship: You could emphasize the importance of a relationship with the client beyond just feedback—such as building trust and understanding their vision over time.

Overall, I would rate your answer as 4/5. It demonstrates a solid understanding of event management and creative development, but slight improvements in conciseness and client relationship emphasis could enhance its effectiveness.

What strategies do you use to build and maintain client relationships?

Building and maintaining client relationships is critical to account success, and creating concepts perfect for the brand, and ultimately being brave enough to be award winning. I have worked with Pernod Ricard over the past 4 years and have developed strong relationships with the experiential team. This was done through understanding their company and represented brands at an early stage, visiting their offices and speaking 1 on 1 with various brand representatives. When developing their events, such as Christmas in September, regular client check-ins allowed for a highly streamlined creative process, and allowed the client to pour in some of their own creativity which helped us understand their vision and made the event stronger. For example, the client had the idea to have a room per classification of alcohol, and it was myself that developed the creative identity of each room, ensuring each brand felt part of the bigger picture without any overshadowing. At one point, the client was concerned one room of alcohols didn't have enough to ensure guest interaction, and Press coverage. As a solution, I liaised with the catering partner already booked to create a bespoke wall with decorative mirrors where a guest could ring a bell and it would deliver their drink of choice. This led to some of the best feedback of the event, and the internal brand stakeholders loved it. It was through decisions like this, Pernod Ricard came to deeply trust our creative vision and capabilities for creating something extraordinary, and led to bigger and bolder budgets thereon.

Your response effectively highlights your experience in building and maintaining client relationships, and it illustrates your hands-on approach to fostering collaboration and creativity. Here's a breakdown of the strengths and areas for improvement:

Strengths:
1. Specificity: You provide a concrete example of your work with Pernod Ricard, demonstrating long-term engagement and understanding of the client’s needs.
2. Proactivity: Your involvement in client conversations and creative processes shows that you take initiative, which is vital in event management.
3. Collaboration: You emphasize working closely with the client to integrate their ideas into the event, showcasing your adaptability and teamwork.
4. Problem-solving: Your example of addressing the client's concern creatively reflects your capacity to respond effectively to challenges.

Areas for Improvement:
1. Structure: Consider breaking your response into clear sections: strategy, execution, and results. This would enhance clarity and impact.
2. More on Relationship-building: While you highlight specific events, adding more about your overarching strategies for relationship building (e.g., regular updates, feedback loops) could enrich your response.
3. Outcomes: While you mention positive feedback, more concrete outcomes (e.g., resulting increases in engagement metrics, additional projects, or testimonials from the client) would strengthen your case.

Rating: 4/5

Overall, your response is strong, but enhancing clarity and including more about the strategies used for ongoing relationship building could elevate it.