👀 What to Know If You're Looking for a New Job in the Events Industry

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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:

This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Wordly.

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.