Someone who’s been working in a large organization has meetings experience that may be overwhelming to a smaller organization. They see someone who’s used to doing meetings for 5,000 people and figure there’s no way that person is going to want to do a 500-person program. Instead of using the big numbers, break it down into components: Programs in a seminar series ranged from $X to $Y, for example. Keep it to a range that’s within the prospective employer’s comfort zone.
Sources: Steven Williams, PhD, director of industry and market research, American Society of Association Executives; Sheryl Sookman, CMP, principal, The MeetingConnection, Novato, Calif.; Jim Zaniello, recruiter, Association Strategies, Arlington, Va.; Barbara Dunlavey, CMP, director of meetings and exhibits, American School Food Service Association, Alexandria, Va.; Dawn Penfold, The Meeting Candidate Network Inc., New York.