Experience matters more than three-letter credentials, according to one career coach.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online 👀 What to Know If You're Looking for a New Job in the Events Industry The 2026 job market is brutal, but it's not all bad news for meeting planners looking for a new opportunity. When Skift Meetings monitored the signs of serious strain in the meetings industry job market in the summer of 2025, our team was surprised to hear horror stories of experienced professionals applying to nearly 400 (!) jobs with no luck. Nearly one year later, finding work feels even more elusive. Skift Meetings’ Barbara Scofidio takes a closer look at what matters to hiring managers now, which AI-generated language to eliminate from your resume and why more companies are shifting to part-time contract models. As meeting planners look for career opportunities that will pay them what they’re worth, companies are spending an eye-popping amount of cash to do something other than hire humans. Cvent announced plans to invest $1 billion in AI product development over the next few years. Head ⬇️ for all the news you need this week.     Last Call: Corporate Planner Survey Skift Meetings needs your expertise to gauge the pulse of the state of corporate meetings in 2026. Share your perspectives on the challenges and opportunities on your desk right now. This survey closes tomorrow, Friday, July 17. *Please note this survey is for in-house planners only. TAKE THE SURVEY         FEATURED STORIES A Closer Look at Cvent’s $1 Billion AI Investment By Andrea Doyle Every event tech vendor is chasing AI headlines this year. Cvent’s investment is a bet that in a machine-driven world, live events will be even more essential. GET THE STORY 5 Top Events Industry Job Market Trends   By Barbara Scofidio The job market is the worst it's been in decades — but recruiters say specialized planners who can prove ROI are still landing new positions. GET THE STORY Know Before You Go Letters: What to Include By Barbara Scofidio Most Know Before You Go letters are written from scratch every cycle. This is the checklist worth stealing. GET THE STORY         Why Board Meetings and Executive Retreats Are Heading to Smaller Host Cities Louisville Tourism + Skift Meetings Learn how one destination is winning over planners with a mix of affordability, one-of-a-kind access, and innovative energy that fuels more impactful VIP programs. GET THE STORY         EVENTS Skift Meetings Forum Dan Macsai turned TIME's live events into one of its fastest-growing operations, from Davos to Dubai, and rose as it grew. He joins senior planners at Skift Meetings Forum on September 22 at the North Javits Center. If you want the events you run to earn you a bigger role, learn how he did it. APPLY TO ATTEND         SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS Why AI Isn’t Going to Solve the Hotel Labor Shortage The hotel employees who are most essential to a successful meeting —the dishwashers, food prep workers and banquet attendants — are the least likely to be replaced by AI, according to a new analysis from Skift. That’s good news for the frontline employees who want a sense of job security, but the reality it is that a lot of them aren’t worried about keeping their jobs: They’re the closest to retirement age. For meeting planners who have already been struggling with the hospitality industry’s talent shortage, it’s a reminder that AI isn’t going to wave a magic wand to make the attendee experience better. Sure, there are robots in development — consider the Automate Show at McCormick Place in Chicago last month that featured robots serving coffee — but will attendees still feel the magic of a face-to-face experience if they spend a decent chunk of their time standing next to a faceless humanoid?         FREE REPORT Our latest report uncovers how AI is transforming the event experience and provides crucial insights for anyone looking to invest in event tech today. What’s inside: A vision of the ideal AI-powered event experience. A plain-language explainer on LLMs, agentic AI, and MCP. 130+ AI-native event tech tools mapped across event phases. Questions to ask and red flags to look out for buying event tech. This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Wordly. GET THE REPORT         DON’T MISS THESE STORIES Humans Are Picking Up Where Meeting Matchmaking Apps Stop By Miguel Neves AI can tell two attendees they should talk. It can’t make the introduction feel natural or find a comfortable way to end the conversation – the gap that a new premium service is trying to fill. View Article Jenny Ng: 2026 MPI RISE Award Winner By Barbara Scofidio A self-described “quiet leader” who knows how to make things happen reflects on her belief that no group should be left behind — especially people with disabilities. View Article         Skift Meetings Toolkit Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events. EXPLORE THE TOOLKIT         Thanks for being a regular reader. We are switching to a new email platform. Why? This change will allow for better delivery, and more engaging newsletters. Please take a moment to add this new email address to your contacts to ensure you continue receiving your newsletters without interruption. During this transition, these emails might land in your promotions or spam folder. To ensure you don’t miss out, please move this newsletter to your primary inbox.       DEFINING THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Skift 35 W 31st St. New York, New York 10001, United States Terms of Service