Hey, there! I’m Taylor.
I’m an event planner, floral designer, and personal stylist.
As a true blend of creative and logical, I use combinations of my expertise to create and execute the visions of my clients in the most efficient and artful way.
My Professional Development Plan
Professional Development Plan Taylor Vander Leest
Research and review one major professional association related to the Events or Hospitality industry. What is it all about? What resources does it offer you as a student and a professional? How can you professionally benefit from this organization, or how is this useful?
The organization I researched and found is called Eventovation. It as an organization and online community for event planners all around the country. This organization is an online place for event planners to connect and network. It offers free online community discussions and access to a variety of ebooks to help grow people’s knowledge on the industry. This organization would benefit me because it would help me be able to connect and network with professionals I otherwise would have never gotten to know.
What areas of the events or hospitality industry interest you the most? How do you plan to start your job search? When? Where will you look for jobs?
I would say that the wedding industry interests me the most. I have been taking a lot of entrepreneurship classes and I am looking to start my own business fresh out of college but to gain experience I will start my job search through connections I currently have in the industry. I will start looking for jobs when I graduate because I am looking to focus on making a business plan for my company. I would want to look in the Pella or Des Moines area.
What is your idea of healthy work/life balance – what does that look like? How will you plan to achieve or maintain this balance as you start your new career?
I would say a healthy balance is to make sure you schedule out time to spend with your family and friends where you do not do anything work related at least twice a week. I love to plan ahead so to maintain this balance I will make sure to plan each of my weeks and schedule in that time to make sure it happens.
What are the ways that you plan to keep yourself informed, relevant,
and on the cutting-edge in the events or hospitality industry?
I plan to keep my self informed and up to date through joining different organization as well as staying current on my social media. Social media is where many trends start and peak so by making sure I am following some of the most prestigious planners I can make sure I am staying on trend. Being a part of organizations will help me also stay up to date by sending me news letters.
If you could choose your first position after ISU, what would it be? Where is it located? How are you a qualified candidate for this position?
If I could do any position right after I graduate I would open my own store and planning business in Pella, Iowa. I am qualified for this because I have many years of experience in the events industry and working with weddings. I have learned all the ins and outs of the events industry at my time at Iowa State.