The B2B events industry is booming, that is a fact. Most companies want to grow their events, their portfolios, launch new divisions, etc. and that only means one thing. You need to team to do this and you need to recruit.

In the same wavelength, I have never heard of any events professional saying they are 100% happy with their salary and the job they are doing (if you are one of them please get in touch as you deserve a mention, I am serious). That only means that your only options are: Stay doing what you are doing or check what is happening in the market and explore your options.

Recruiting for a new role or finding a new job is a challenge from whichever angle you look at it. But whenever there is a challenge there is always a solution, and here is my list of top recruitment agencies that have a particular speciality for recruiting event professionals with experience in events and conferences.

The ones I know and personally recommend:

1. Media Contacts

Run by Rupert Wallis who knows the industry extremely well. They are in my opinion one of the most trust worthy companies and have never let my clients or me down.

2. Katharine Mann & Kevin Hosier

Katharine is a head hunter for the industry and works with Kevin Hosier who runs gcntalent.com, I know them personally and people in my network that I really trust know have got really interesting jobs through them and businessess that have worked with them rate them highly for their personal and custom made service they provide. 

3. Albany Appointments

Run by Faye Hampton, they have been operating in the industry for a very long time. They too, are one of the agencies I always call when I have a brief in my hands.

4. TF Connect

Run by Trevor Foley who knows pretty much all the key players in the expo business and runs his own events too, his agency has a particular focus on global recruitment and helping organisations expand into other territories and finding the talent that will drive those businesses abroad.

5. Love Media Sales

Owned by the super cool Jordan Adams, his company provides outsourced telesales for media publishers and events and has a recruitment arm, so if you are running low on sales guys give Jordan a call.

The ones other people in the industry recommend

6. Real Recruitment

Local to the UK they are also specialising in the event and conferences

7. Dragon Fly recruitment

Specialising in the Media and Events industry and serving clients in 20 countries.

8. Caselton Clark

With various specialisations, Media is one of them. One of the co-founders was a senior executive at Informa

9. Reilly People

Media and conference sales as well as conference production specialisation.

10. Maiday Recruitment

Have a division for Media, Publishing and Conferences, specifically marketing.

11. Aspire Recruitment

They were formerly known as PFJ and they acquired various organisations around the world. They are a global company with a special focust on Marketing and Digital roles, but they have an events division and are able to provide production and sales candidates

What to do now?

If you are an events business leader

for sure give the top 5 a call and discuss your plans. My advice is that you should always be recruiting, as the talent market especially in marketing is very very dry. Alternatively you should start developing and training your team, but that is another blog post.

If you are an events professional the world is your oyster.

Speaking to a recruitment agency is not a capital sin and does not mean you are betraying your employee, you are only checking what are the other opportunities out there that simply will give you an alternative when you ask for a pay rise next time or if your boss decides to call it a day.

With the market in its current condition, you will be surprised what is on offer and most likely you will discover that the days of earning peanuts in our industry are gone, because for once (at last) the market is in your favour.

So please, please please, give one of the top 5 a call and tell them I suggested you speak to them for a non-committal chat, you simply want to know what is outhere and very likely they'll give you some good advice anyway.

Personal promotion: One of my clients has a very interesting role within the fashion industry, and we are currently working on a very exciting inbound and content marketing plan for them and we need someone who will drive all these cool initiatives along with BrightBull. More info please get in touch @brightbull or use the contact us form.