Dream/Realistic Job Preview

1. Dream/Realistic Job Preview Sarah Stoddard Business & Professional Communication, SCOM 358 James Madison University

2. The Assignment • For SCOM 358, our assignment called the “Dream/Realistic Job Preview” was all about getting a taste of what our ideal career field is like. Our task was to find a professional, in the field we are working towards, who works in a position we would like to possibly have in the future. Once we found that professional, we then were assigned to perform a 45-60 minute interview and then shadow them at their job. This way, we could learn much more about the field as well as seek advice for how to enter it. • First, I will introduce what exactly I did for this assignment. Then, I will go over what I learned. Next, I will relate my experience to this class. And finally, I will sum up with my reactions.

3. Barb Wired, LLC • Here comes the bride! Weddings, corporate parties, fundraisers, community picnics - Barb Wired is an event management and consultation company that mainly works with weddings but does many other events. It also works with many wineries and other wedding venues around Charlottesville, offering services to assist the businesses and help them grow. http://barbwiredllc.com/index.html • Barbara Lundgren, shown to the left, is the professional whom I interviewed and shadowed and is also the owner and creator of Barb Wired, LLC. She has been in the event planning industry for over 20 years and has expanded Barb Wired since 2000 into one of the most popular and trusted event planning companies in Central Virginia.

4. To the Hilton… • My meeting with Barbara took place in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn (Sunday, July 6th) in Charlottesville where I first interviewed and then shadowed her during a wedding consultation. Just from 1:00 until about 3:30pm I was able to learn so much during both the interview as well as the consultation, which I will now go into in more detail.

5. The Nuts and Bolts of Event Planning • During the interview, Barbara explained to me exactly how she got started in Event Planning and why she loves it so much. The main reason, she told me, is the difference it makes for couples getting married – she said making such an important event easy and enjoyable for them and their families is such a gratifying feeling and really is a huge help. This was very inspirational to me! It definitely got me even more excited to be pursuing the career field. However, there were a lot of nuts and bolts that she explained to me as well – all the skills and work involved in being a successful event planner…

6. The Nuts and Bolts of Event Planning • Here are some of the aspects of being an Event Planner, that Barbara shared with me: • Skills: Organization, creativity, great interpersonal skills, a people-person, able to connect with people, attention to detail, able to work independently, flexible, work well in a fast-paced environment, good listener and good communicator. It also helps to be a good writer and have technical skills since blogs and websites are so popular these days. • Flexibility: Events, such as weddings, are mainly held on the weekends which requires a very flexible schedule. Barbara explained that her and her team work two events per weekend. • Communication: Barbara stays in contact with all of her clients and venues all day every day. She is e-mailing, calling, Skyping, and meeting them constantly to talk about event plans and much more. She networks around the community and even has a project called C-Venue, in which she helps vendors and venues around the area grow and get connected with her clients.

7. The Nuts and Bolts of Event Planning • Passion: Not only does it take a flexible schedule, many skills, and hard work to pull of a successful event – it also takes a lot of passion. Barbara loves what she does, whether or not she receives thanks from the couples she works with, and this seems to make her very successful.

8. The Bells and Whistles • During the wedding consultation, I had the opportunity to observe everything that Barbara does for her first free initial consultation for couples.

9. “We’ve already looked at 20 venues and still can’t decide…” • During the consultation, Barbara went through a huge packet of logistics all involved in planning the couple’s wedding. They are both UVA Law School grads getting married next October and planning for a pretty big wedding. Their main hurdle was finding the right venue, which Barbara is an expert in, so the consultation consisted largely of discussing the right fit for them. They described in detail everything they were looking for – from a large Catholic ceremony to a dumplings food truck for after the reception as a late-night snack. Talk about details! Barbara wrote down everything they said – even just possible ideas – in the packet and gave suggestions for all of their concerns. She also had ideas/suggestions for all of their questions, such as which florist to use that fit their budget and the best/closest hotels for their guests.

10. “Thank you so much! I don’t know how we would plan this on our own…” • The consultation took a long time – after all, Barbara went through every detail involved in their wedding plans! – and the couple expressed sincere thanks for her help, saying how much of a stress-reliever it would be to have a wedding planner. I definitely learned that planning weddings isn’t just fun and games…it takes a lot of time and hard work as well as excellent listening skills.

11. Application • Throughout SCOM 358, we have read and learned about the professional business world. From start to finish – job searching, interviewing, etiquette, business cultural norms, etc. With my Event Planning interview/shadowing, I was able to witness and participate in many of the concepts and information learned in the class. • Informational Interviewing: By creating an interview specifically to learn more about my chosen career field, I was able to perform an informational interview with Barbara, which I learned throughout SCOM 358. When creating the interview, I made sure to include questions suggested from the readings, such as advice on entering the field, challenges within the field, expansion of the company, and other advice.

12. Application • Mentoring: After learning about mentors and mentoring, it seemed like I could really picture Barbara as a mentor. In fact, I am now participating in her internship program in order to learn and shadow even more – which seems very similar to having a mentor. • Etiquette: Before, during, and after the interview all included certain etiquette – which I learned through SCOM 358 as well. Before, I made sure to dress professionally and appropriately as well as show up early. During, I carried conversation within the interview by moving to questions and then responding to answers. I also did not offer my resume until asked. After, I made sure to write a thank you note and follow up about how well the interview went. This was all learned in class! • Networking: During the consultation, it was clear that Barbara knew many businesses owners around the area that she kept in contact with. By being so connected and attending events/situations for networking, Barbara was informed to answer any and all questions asked by the couple as well as give them suggestions when needed. The importance of networking was learned in class as well.

13. My Reactions: • In general, it was the most exciting and inspirational experience to be able to shadow someone in a position that I hope to have one day. I learned so much and realized that I really do want to pursue the wedding industry, as well as have a huge passion for it. • Challenging Aspects: I think wedding planning is definitely challenging from what I observed. It’s a lot of pressure to be handling such an important event, and not all clients are easy-going or even pleasant. And working on the weekends is not always ideal. • Rewarding Aspects: The rewarding aspects of event and wedding planning definitely outweigh the challenging ones in my opinion. Barbara immensely expressed the gratification that comes from helping create a wedding and making a couple’s big day a success. It definitely seems to make a difference in the couple’s day and lives!

14. Overall • Overall, getting to interview and shadow Barbara was a great learning experience but also excited me even more about working in events and weddings. I am now also even more interested in pursuing the career based on what I observed – the passion, work, and skills. • After explaining my interview and observation of Barbara, sharing what I learned, connecting my observations to the class material, and expressing my reactions, I hope an understanding of just how fun and exciting (and informative) this project was can be made. Now, I’m off to a training session with Barb Wired, LLC! Let the weddings begin!

15. Barb Wired, LLC on The Knot

16. And they lived Happily Ever After! • (From Barb Wired, LLC!)