Is there a place where the marketing folks hang out?

[MrsSplat]

...and if not, could this be it?

Hello, it's getting close to probably going-back-to-work for me. Marketing in a bust vs. boom ain't going to be easy. I've found mumsnet supportive in lots of ways and it would be fab to have a sounding board for the 'noble art of marketing' too.

Anyone upferit?

[wingandprayer]

Yep, that's me - noble....

I am a freelance marketing bod. People keep asking me about economic doom and gloom expecting me to say everything's a disaster but I am receiving far more enquiries now than ever before. I think my clients are all having to get stuck in on the shopfloor to reduce staffing costs, leaving them with less time to focus on marketing, so they need more help. If you are going back to marketing deparment for someone that will be tougher I'd imagine but if they are desperate for business at least you should be busy!

You OK about going back- looking forward to it?

[MrsSplat]

oh hi, I'm building up to getting used to the idea . What you say about outsourcing makes sense though.

I'm agency-side, which typically doesn't have the most brilliant track record in family-friendly policies and the ability to command respect of peers if you try it. I think every boss I've ever had has been childless or divorced, so I'm a little reticent about the whole thing.

[tonton]

I'm agency side too.

All the senior people wherever I've worked have ben men or ( a very few) childless women. Everyone lese is about 21 and still clubbing!
Proabbly going to be made reundant at any moment...but oh well.

[WhateverHappenedtoBabyJaamy]

Freelance here and although I'm pretty new to it, I'm busier than ever. Had a bit of a lull over the summer.

Was speaking to a friend in a fairly large in-house marketing dept yesterday and she seemed to think everything was hunky-dorey jobwise. I gues it depends which industry you/your clients are in.

I don't think marketing is particularly mother friendly, though I find that in-house marketing teams tend to be a bit less glam/youthful. I left a position 12 months ago where they seriously only ever gave me the worst jobs because I worked part time and out of the head office, though I had 5 years+ experience over most of my peers. They had inherited me from an acquisition 4 years previously when I was pg and they couldn't make me redundant. I bet there was some dancing in the office when I finally resigned.