Welcome to the ultimate hub for expert advice to help you get your big break (+ move up the ladder). This week I’m taking five on The Bottom Rung with…
LYNETTE CARROLL BOLTON, 33 – Owner of LCB Productions: Weddings and Events Planners, TV presenter and blogger
Climbing the ladder
Then: Before entering the world of event planning, Lynette worked as a financial planner for a number of years before taking the plunge and changing careers (fun fact: planning her own wedding to Sydney Swans player Jude Bolton gave her the final nudge she needed!).
Now: Lynette is now owner and event director at the highly successful LCB Productions. She is also is a regular face on Channel 7 and blogs for Bride to Be Australia.
Always dreamed of being in event planning (Hello, Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner)? Soak in Lynette’s advice in three, two, one…
You have to start from the bottom
It was a bit of a shock starting back at the bottom of the pecking order but a great way to realise that event management and wedding planning is definitely not the glamorous job it is made out to be.
Don’t have any regrets
Everything I learned from previous jobs has helped me have the strength, courage and skills to start up my own business and to learn how to balance my different work interests and the demands of being a working mum.
Think outside the square
Someone once said to me there is a high chance that the jobs our children are going to have aren’t even invented yet! Whenever I need encouragement to try something new or think outside the square I remember this. My parents stayed in the same profession from the moment they left uni – I love that these days there is much more freedom and people are able to make careers out of their passions.
Let your passion shine through
Ask questions. Read relevant blogs and other social media avenues. Don’t be afraid to ask for more responsibility or to take a task and make it your own. Anyone you will be working for will be impressed if they can see you are using your initiative, your creativity and you have a passion for the industry.
There is never a dull moment
The best thing about events and media is there is no typical day! Be prepared to be filling gift bags one day, wining and dining celebs the next, and having a hair and make-up call at 4am the next!
Take risks
I went from a well-paid, secure, 9am-5pm job with the freedom of my weekends. Media and events were completely foreign to me and I was definitely looking up from the bottom rung! At the end of the day, I’d rather be doing what I love and taking risks than being comfortable in a job that doesn’t make me happy.
Get experience
Interning is a great way to get into both media and events. I also think studying is important and utilising any contacts you might have from that.
Set boundaries
I started working for free (as most people do). I don’t necessarily agree with it but I think it can be a good way to suss out who’s passionate about the industry. I think that you have to cap the unpaid component and make sure you are very clear about your boundaries from the onset of the internship.
Don’t hesitate
Events and media are two of the greatest industries. They are both lots (and lots!) of hard work but the people you meet and projects you get to work on are unbeatable.
Thanks again to Lynette for sharing her advice! If you’d love to find out more about Lynette, or her upcoming event Love On The Lawn: The Wedding Festival, say hello on Twitter, on Facebook or on her website.
<The Bottom Rung series is inspired by the release of my debut novel THE INTERN (HarperCollins, out now) and my desire to ‘pay it forward’ with career advice and tips on climbing the ladder. Click here to read more about THE INTERN. Come say hello at Facebook and Twitter– distractions welcome.>
