Forum menu
sounds like your a blue. Like me.
Yup. That really nice deep dark blue you get on a clear summer evening just as the stars start to come out...
I’ve be come very transactional about work. You pay me for 37 hours of my time a week. That’s it. Nothing more
Great. But you still have to care about what happens in those 37 hours?
Not in my current job I dont. I have in the past but not anymore. If the organisation collapsed tomorrow I would care one jot, it’s only a job. Perhaps I’ve just become more cynical as I’ve aged. Going through an unpleasant insolvency last year has changed my attitude to work quite considerably and taught me not to have any emotional investment in my employer
I genuinely don't understand how capitalism lets some people fail upwards on such stellar trajectories, making millions for themselves and leaving destruction in their wake.
It's called the Peter Principle. People are promoted to their level of incompetence.
You've got a great engineer, you run out of superlatives to add to their job title, so you make them a manager. Why on earth would a senior engineer be better suited to be a manager? They're only there because you can't do anything else with their career ladder. Then they prove to be crap and you can't easily get rid so you promote them just to be shut of them, and that's how we end up with C-Suite - because we all know what 'C' really stands for.
It happened to me (though of course I was an exception because I'm awesome 😁). Most/all of the middle managers at my former employer used to be engineers. Some turned out great, some took to it like a duck to petrol. A couple I swear did this intentionally, with an exit plan to take the money and run right before the excrement of action collided with the air circulation device of consequence.
The forum always has the answer
not always. I’ve seen groups and departments made redundant, but there are always a few “key talent” who the company needs to retain for competitive reasons. I’ve not been in that position personally, but company talent reviews sometimes have a purpose.
Yeah, but that echoes my point.
How many group redundancy reviews have you seen that for all the theatre the outcome was wildly predictable? The business announces "we need to lose two people from Accounts," those getting the chop come as a shock to no-one because it's little more than a legitimised popularity contest.
Under normal circumstances it is really difficult to get rid of staff you don't like. A round of redundancies simplifies this greatly. There will always be 'opportunities' for the ones you want to keep.
Personally, I cannot wait to deliver the immortal line
" I just wanted to say that, over the years, I have come to regard you as … people I met " A Rimmer
Just had a very quick look on CoPilot and it has come up with the following (much of it linked to myself as I used it when I was looking for a new role as Installations Project Manager, along with getting my CV updated and online) but some of it may be worth considering. All the best:
Here’s the good news: events project management is one of the most transferable backgrounds out there. The combination of logistics, stakeholder management, budgeting, crisis-handling, and creative problem‑solving sets you up for a huge range of careers — many of which value those skills even more than the events industry does.
Below is a structured breakdown to help you see where your strengths map most naturally.
🌟 Careers That Events Project Management Skills Transfer Into
🧭 1. Operations & Process Management
Your ability to coordinate moving parts, manage timelines, and keep teams aligned is gold here.
Roles that fit:
- Operations Manager
- Business Process Manager
- PMO Coordinator
- Workflow/Systems Analyst
- Resource Planning Manager
Why you fit:
Events are basically operations sprints — you already think in dependencies, risks, and contingencies.
💼 2. Project Management (Beyond Events)
Your PM toolkit is already built. You can pivot into almost any sector.
Industries that love ex‑events PMs:
- Construction & Fit‑Out
- Manufacturing
- Tech & Software
- Marketing & Creative Agencies
- Retail Rollouts
- Facilities Management
Roles:
- Project Manager
- Programme Coordinator
- Implementation Manager
🧩 3. Client & Stakeholder-Facing Roles
Events people excel at diplomacy, expectation management, and communication under pressure.
Roles:
- Account Manager
- Client Success Manager
- Partnerships Manager
- Vendor/Supplier Manager
🎨 4. Marketing, Brand & Communications
Events PMs understand audiences, experiences, and messaging — a natural fit.
Roles:
- Marketing Project Manager
- Brand Activation Manager
- Campaign Coordinator
- Community Manager
🧠 5. Training, Learning & Development
Events PMs are used to organising people, content, and logistics — exactly what L&D teams need.
Roles:
- Training Coordinator
- Learning Programme Manager
- Onboarding Specialist
🏢 6. Corporate Hospitality & Workplace Experience
Your ability to create seamless experiences translates beautifully into internal corporate environments.
Roles:
- Workplace Experience Manager
- Employee Engagement Lead
- Office/Facilities Manager
💡 7. Consultancy & Advisory Work
If you enjoy problem‑solving and improving systems, this is a strong pivot.
Areas:
- Operations consultancy
- Process improvement
- Change management
- Event strategy consulting
📦 8. Logistics, Supply Chain & Procurement
Events PMs already manage suppliers, negotiate contracts, and coordinate deliveries.
Roles:
- Procurement Coordinator
- Supply Chain Planner
- Logistics Manager
- Vendor Relations Specialist
🧱 9. Construction & Fit-Out Project Coordination
This is especially relevant to your background, Richard — and it’s one of the most natural transitions.
Roles:
- Site Coordinator
- Fit-Out Project Manager
- Installation Programme Manager
- Technical Project Coordinator
🖥️ 10. Tech & Digital Product Roles
Your planning and stakeholder skills translate surprisingly well.
Roles:
- Product Coordinator
- Scrum Master
- Implementation Specialist
- Digital Project Manager
🔧 Transferable Skills You Already Have (and where they map)
| Events PM Skill | Where It Transfers |
|---|---|
| Timeline & budget control | Operations, construction, tech PM |
| Stakeholder management | Client success, account management |
| Supplier negotiation | Procurement, supply chain |
| Crisis management | Operations, facilities, hospitality |
| Creative problem-solving | Marketing, brand, product |
| Team coordination | L&D, operations, PMO |
| Delivering experiences | Workplace experience, marketing |
🚀 Want me to map this to your specific strengths?
If you want, I can take your exact experience — the fit‑out, manufacturing, installation, workflow mapping, team leadership — and build a targeted career pivot map showing:
- Best-fit roles
- Salary ranges
- How your CV should be reframed
- What skills to emphasise
- What industries will value you most
Just say the word and I’ll build it.