Case studies: Conference and events centre manager: Amelia

Amelia studied psychology at the University of Sheffield. After graduating, she quickly became involved in event organisation for charities such as Cancer Research UK.

When I saw an advert for the position of conference and events manager, I thought why not apply for it. I knew I wanted a career within this sector that furthered my organisational and management skills and this opportunity seemed perfect.

Firstly, I visited the conference centre to give me an idea of what kind of place I would be working in. This visit also gave me the opportunity to ask about the position, helping me to learn more about the role. I think this was a really positive step, as it showed the employer I was interested and able to take the initiative. After sending in my application and a rigorous interview, I was offered the job.

My role involves managing all staff, generally make sure everything is running smoothly and ensuring my customers are happy. A lot of the tasks I get involved in are emergencies, such as last minute bookings/cancellations/double bookings, etc! I am in direct contact with our clients and contractors, and therefore have to work hard to develop good ongoing relationships.

I find the most enjoyable part of my job is the variety; after all, no two events are ever the same! I also benefit from being a part of a great team, without whom my job would be a lot more difficult. The down sides are that I have to do a lot of chasing up and nagging - I hate this, but I have strict deadlines to stick to so it must be done.

My time at university was invaluable, and although my degree subject was by no means necessary or a prerequisite for my current job, the skills I developed have helped me greatly in my career.

As well as building up good organisation skills through my course, I was also president of a university society, which meant I had to balance studying with extracurricular activities. This was important in developing my prioritisation skills, which are essential in my line of work.