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CFE: Seeing the venue world from 238,900 miles away

By Kayla McKinley posted 11-05-2012 14:34

  
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small." — Neil Armstrong 

When was the last time you had to write about yourself and your perspective of the world? It may be something you haven't thought about since high school. Maybe it was something you were required to complete as part of a job application. You could be beginning to write your memoirs. Perhaps you plan to apply for IAVM's Certified Facilities Executive designation (CFE) and just realized there's an essay involved. 

Whatever your reason, it can be an interesting exercise to think about our place in the industry and your accomplishments. While our perspective of the venue world may be less humbling than Neil Armstrong's view of our planet from space, each of us can benefit from stepping back and reviewing our contributions and place in the industry. Seeing all that we've accomplished listed out on paper, including our personal philosophy and vision, can be a re-awakening and re-energizing experience for many. 

As part of the CFE application process, venue manager candidates are required to provide just such an essay. I spoke with Frank Bradshaw, CFE, CMP, and vice chair of the Certification Board. I asked Bradshaw why venue mangers should get their CFE and what makes a good essay stand out from the crowd. 

Bradshaw, who achieved his own CFE in 1997, noted that many venue managers see the CFE designation as a way to demonstrate that as a venue professional you've reached the pinnacle of your profession. Some don't just consider CFE as a way to increase their salary or move to a new position, but rather for personal gratification and a sense of pride in their commitment to the industry. 

Like many college applications, the CFE board requires a minimum seven page essay summarizing the applicant's demonstrated competency in venue management related topics including: personnel and labor relations, marketing, finance and contracts, maintenance and security, event production, as well as food and beverage. 

So where do you start when you've been asked to encapsulate so much of what you've done over the past decade or more? The questions on the CFE written essay, like those in an interview, are deliberately broad and open-ended. They require a person to distil their core achievements, industry understanding and philosophy into a clear story. Bradshaw notes, "We like to know how well you can handle compacting the information into concise written answers. The "how" you answer is as important as "what" you answer." 

Bradshaw gives many potential CFE candidates guidance on the application and essay. His first piece of advice, "Read the instructions." There are 8-10 questions to answer. Plan a draft or outline of your answers. Bradshaw says, "Many people wait to the last minute and then rush through — writing too much copy and go over the 8 page limit. Give yourself enough time to write the essay then step away for a day or two. Come back and reread and edit it down." 

Engage the reader. Your essay should stand out. You have had an amazing career so celebrate the road you've traveled. 

Be concise — The first two sentences of the answer should directly answer the question. Then take a few more sentences to elaborate and illustrate. 

Give examples — Don't just make all of your answers a theoretical philosophy of the venue industry. Share specific situations that best illustrate your achievements and how you handled particular situations. 

Relax and be yourself. IAVM's Certification Board won't fail you. They may ask for a re-write or further explanation about a particular topic. But overall they want to see each venue manager succeed. 

Finally — the one thing we all need to do no matter what the situation — Edit and Proofread! Nothing is more defeating than finding a typo in a piece you've already submitted or in an email you've already hit send on. Take the time to review and then review again. 

Some editors use techniques like changing the font and then re-reading. You may try reading the entire document backwards or even increase the font size to 20 points. These techniques tend to allow the mind to see things differently and catch something you may have read over several times before. 

If you are ready to apply for your CFE the deadline for applications is February 1, 2013. If you need information about the program contactRosanne Duke or visit us online at www.IAVM.org.
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