For planners who need temp support or contractors looking for their next gig, these three agencies specialize in placing meeting industry talent.
Soundings
Services: Soundings connects clients with freelance, contract or full-time talent — “the up-and-comers, innovators, and experts in the meeting, events, hospitality and non-profit industries.”
Positions
Areas of focus include:
Event Design & Execution
Creative Services
Project Management
Corporate Marketing
Production & Creative
Fee: There is no charge to talent for matching them with freelance or full-time work.
Value Proposition: Soundings’ mission is to “unlock potential and drive innovation by designing powerful connections between organizations and talent.”
In addition to placement, Soundings also offers Elevate career coaching, with certified coaches for teams and individuals.
A new partnership between SITE Global and Soundings offers SITE members a 20% discount on Soundings Elevate 1:1 Career Coaching and Career Accelerator program in 2025. SITE members will be invited to a virtual career coaching event hosted by Soundings Elevate’s career coaches, featuring breakout rooms for personalized guidance and networking. Soundings Thrive members will receive complimentary access to select SITE digital content and research, such as the Incentive Travel Index.
Why is Soundings Different?
“Just like the definition of the word, we go below the surface, gathering key insights before making talent matches,” said Tracy Judge, founder and chief connector.
“What sets us apart is our human-centric, data-driven approach, paired with our investment in our talent community through Soundings Thrive and our coaching services, Soundings Elevate. Together, these brands empower us to go beyond surface-level qualifications, diving deep into five key elements – skills, strengths, character, purpose and performance – to ensure the perfect fit between talent and roles.”
Cadre
Services: Cadre places contract and freelance positions and specialists – on-site event staff, meeting planners and audio-visual professionals – using a single online platform. Sister company Meetingjobs (founded in 1990 by Dawn Penfold, a former meeting planner) is the premier resource of permanent placement services for the meetings and events industry, featuring a job board and retained search services.
Positions
Areas of focus include:
Event Planner
Event Manager
Meeting Planner
Meeting Coordinator
Corporate Event Planner
Wedding Planner
Conference Manager
Trade Show Coordinator
Convention Services Manager
Destination Event Planner
Director of Events
Chief Event Officer
Corporate Event or Meeting Planner
Medical or Pharmaceutical Meeting Planner
Association Meeting Professional
Vice President of Meetings and Events
Fee: There is no fee to be part of Cadre’s roster of 6,500+ event freelancers (planners, on-site support, AV technicians, etc.). The only cost for freelancers to maintain an active profile is a $25 charge to complete their background check.
Value Proposition: Clients look to Cadre to provide them with experienced event-industry professionals to build their full-time employee base. In addition, to supplement that base during peak times with freelancers who can hit the ground running and take on variable project work.
Why is Cadre Different?
“In this new gig economy, and especially after Covid, the model of staffing agencies acting as a middle-man between companies looking to hire and experienced talent looking for work is antiquated. This is where Cadre sets itself apart,” said Penfold.
“As an online marketplace like Uber, Cadre provides companies with the ability to post their project (whether that be short-term planning work, Cvent web builds, or on-site event support); set their own budgets; and directly obtain offers from, interview and contract experienced event-industry freelancers, all through the Cadre app.
“Cadre is Upwork, but entirely focused on the meetings and event industry, giving companies the ability to efficiently access variable labor for variable needs, and efficiently contract them on demand.”
MeetingsNEvents
Services: MeetingsNEvents is led by Cindy Thorp, who most recently was director of corporate meetings & travel at Dunkin’ Brands and has more than 25 years of experience in the meetings & events industry. The company provides planning and management of conferences, meetings and conventions, with staff support in 13 cities.
Positions:
Conference & Event Staff for:
- Registration, Sessions, Trade Shows, Live Events
- Digital Event Marketing
- Pharma Support: Doctor Engagement
- Transportation programs
- Venue & Hotel Sourcing Agents
- Event Set & Strike
- Event Flow: Traffic & Security
- Speaker/Exhibitor Collaboration
- Virtual Meeting & Event Coordination
Fee: There is no charge to talent for matching them with staffing positions.
