I get this question quite often, and I always find it hard to explain in one sentence. So to all the Doctors, Accountants, Travel Agents, Teachers, Consultants, Pharmacists, Project Managers, Software Developers, Architects, Policemen, Lawyers, Engineers, Pilots, PAs, Journalists, Receptionists, Tea-Ladies (insert all possible obvious-in-your-face job titles here) be thankful cos you don’t have a hard time explaining what do you!

So here’s the deal. I usually start by saying, “I work in an events management company”.

Then, I get the “Wow, must be tiring, must be stressful, and must be working weekends”.

I then say, “Actually the events I deal mostly with are conferences and exhibitions in the ports and shipping industry. I only take care of the conference side of things”.

Then, I usually get silence, and people stop trying to process what I do. And, I usually keep it at that.

OK people–I am a Conference Editor.

When I’m not running the event, I’m sitting in an office, in front of my PC, 8 am – 5.30 pm, Mondays to Fridays. At the office I do research on current topics affecting the ports and shipping industry in the areas that we cover (namely South East+South+West Asia, Australia and Africa), I draft conference topics based on my research findings, I invite speakers to deliver presentations on the topics in the conference agenda, I plan and manage all activities in the conference itinerary (including site visits to local port operators & terminals) and I put all these into a glossy, printed in full colour, 4-page brochure.

At the event, together with my sidekick Lil’ Girl, we take care of all operational matters in the conference. This includes going on the port visit (pre-conference activity), setting up the conference room, emceeing the opening ceremony, and running the conference. I would admit, at the event itself, it is long-hours, late nights, aching legs and baggy eye bags. Oh yeah, repeat the same process 5 – 6 times a year.

Yup, this is what I do loh. Okthxbai.