Going For An Event Assistant Job? Prepare Yourself for THESE 10 Questions!
Interviews are like confessions—in the words of the famous Drake.
Though his song may have a lot of F* bombs in it, the sentiment is somewhat true. In the interview process, we get to know the true you, the real you. It all gets revealed eventually, whether you were truthful at the time of the interview or not.
If you’re interviewing for a wedding planner assistant job but have never even dipped a toe in the wedding industry before, you might be a little unsure about how to prepare. Today I’m here to help!
Stick around until the end to get all the Q&As, plus if you’re looking for a wedding assistant course that will give you the confidence to break into the industry, check out the Wedding Assistant Planner Certificate course.
Your Personal Goals
Personal goals are a big part of the reason you’re in an interview room speaking with a wedding planner. They want to know your intentions. Honesty is always the best policy.
1.Why do you want to work as an event assistant?
Really think about this question. Why do you want to do this job? I can’t answer it for you, but I can tell you why a wedding planner might ask it: they want to know if this is something you’re passionate about or just a fleeting idea (like, hey, it sounds fun!).
2. Are you willing to take the time to educate yourself on wedding-specific material?
A wedding planner might ask this because they might not have the time or money to train you. You may need to seek out educational resources on our own so you can be an asset to the team. This is something you’ll need to wrestle with. If you’re applying for an intern position, then this should be automatically included in your training, but as a paid worker you may need to take control of your own education. You’ll learn a lot, but a wedding planner can’t really do a lot of in-depth teaching during a wedding. Be sure to check out our course if you want to get ahead of the game.
3. Do you want to start your own wedding planning business?
This is the biggie. The question all interviewing wedding planners will ask. They want to know if you’re going to be their direct competition someday. Some wedding planners are okay with you saying “yes.” In their eyes, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander—meaning you’ll be able to refer clients to each other. They will have confidence in the industry and friends who understand their business pains. Some wedding planners want you to say “no” to this question. They don’t want to spend time training someone who will just steal their process and take clients away from them. Be truthful with yourself and with them. It’s okay if you change your mind later down the road—that happens, life happens—but no one ever wants to be deceived.
Your Skills
A wedding planner will ask about your skill set. They will want to know about your universal proficiencies as well as your event planning abilities. They are looking for an assistant who will make up for their weaknesses and have a professional demeanor.
4. Where do your strengths lie? Where are you weakest?
I think you’ll get this question no matter what you’re interviewing for. A wedding planner will ask this question because it gives them a good indication of the types of situations in which you’ll be most helpful. Take some time to consider your answer.
5. Are you a frequent user of social media?
This is important for a wedding planner to know because they might have their assistants post pictures for them on the day of a wedding. A planner is often too busy to even remember to post to FB or Instagram. They want an assistant who is familiar with the process.
6. Tell me about your organizational style.
As I’m sure you can imagine, organization is a must-have skill to possess if you’re in charge of running the wedding day. Think of examples of things you’ve personally organized (kitchen spices, shoes, kid’s room), and then think about the results you’ve had. Be ready to talk about this during your interview.
7. How well do you follow directions?
This is another key question a wedding planner will ask in a job interview. It could be easy to give a fluff answer here, but you should try to dig a little deeper. Weddings are hectic and a wedding planner can’t waste their time repeating tasks or checking work to make sure it’s done right. Describe a situation in which you were given clear (this is key) instructions and the result from it.
8. Do you have any event planning experience?
Another question you will probably get asked. Know that it’s okay if you don’t have tons—or any, for that matter—of experience. When asking this question they want to know if you understand the big picture of an event.
9. How do you retract when things don’t go as planned?
I personally ask this question because I like to get a feeling for what’s instinctual. Wedding planning seldom goes perfectly on the day of, but it’s how an event assistant reacts to the upheaval that will make the difference.
The Interview Wrap Up
When the interview is wrapping up, you’ll be asked if you have any questions. I would definitely ask a few at this point. If compensation hasn’t been mentioned in the ad or in the interview, it’s a good time to bring it up. You should discuss what your expectations are to a certain degree—be clear about what you want to learn, what you hope to gain from the experience, and where there is room for further growth. The planner might end the interview with a question about your references.
10. Why did you list these people as your references? Who will have the best understanding of your work style?
If they ask this, it’s because they want to get a true sense of what it is like to work with you and whether your style is a good fit for their work ethic. Don’t take it personally. It’s just an extra measure to see if you are the best event assistant candidate for them.
Last words on Event Assistant Questions
I hope this post has given you some idea of what to expect from the interview. Before we end, I’m going to give you a few more tips on what to do before the interview. Be sure to do your due diligence when it comes to researching the planning company you’re interviewing with. Don’t send mass emails to all planners in your area. Planners talk to other planners. Lastly, pick out an appropriate interview outfit. Not necessarily something super formal, but something that will make you look like you fit in.
Wondering how to slay your next interview?
Check Out Our Assistant Wedding Planner Certificate Course! It’s the only course designed to teach you how to break into the planning field and learn all there is to know about wedding planning.
