Want to get back to work? Or start your own business? Mumsnet WorkFest, 15 June 2013

[PatrickMumsnet]

Are you thinking about returning to work ? either after maternity leave or from a longer career break? Maybe you?re already juggling work and home life, but have a burning desire to change your job or the way you work? Or perhaps 2013 is the year you plan to take the plunge and set up your own business?

If any (or all!) of these apply to you, then check out Mumsnet Workfest, our inspiring one-day conference dedicated to all things career-related, on Saturday 15th June at BAFTA in central London.

In a jam-packed day, you?ll hear from a range of inspirational female business leaders including Lorraine Candy (Editor of Elle Magazine), The FT's Mrs Moneypenny and PR guru, Lynne Franks, who?ll address everything from taking the plunge and starting up on your own, to polishing your CV, boosting your confidence and working flexibly.

There'll be a chance to pick the brains of our experts for bespoke advice in our one-to-one career clinics ? and you'll meet other working parents, as well as entrepreneurs and potential employers.

You'll leave feeling inspired, positive and ? crucially ? armed with the info and skills you need to return to work, change paths, or set out on your own. Oh, and you'll get the chance to and win some terrific prizes from our headline sponsor, Barclays, as well as a Honda CR-V!

Click here to find out more about this must-attend event and tell us what you think. Also, if you hurry, you can book your ticket now at the discounted early-bird price of £75.

[amazingmumof6]

marking my place

[iseenodust]

Helloooo PatrickM, have winners been notified ?

[iseenodust]

I've just failed to make the interview list of a job that wasn't even go to pay a salary. Could my need to attend be greater ?

[kellykettle]

How about hosting one in Liverpool and getting the Women's Organisation involved?

www.thewomensorganisation.org.uk/

[iseenodust]

Thanks for putting on a draw MNHQ. I think I have transferable skills, but transferable to what is the question.

[Moominsarehippos]

I can't because my blackberry keeps crashing out on me!

[Bebimama]

Thanks. I've entered. Never won anything before but you never know.

[PatrickMumsnet]

@Bebimama

I would love to go. I live in London, I'm trying to be a Social Mumpreneur but I can't afford it even if it is value for money, if you haven't got the money, you haven't got the money. Makes me feel it is not for people like me then, I'm not the right demographic.
Maybe you could hold some local smaller ones, use schools, shopping centres?

Hi Bebima,

Thanks for getting in touch. We are already starting to think about the very thing you highlight and promise to let you know when we have more details in place. For now though, please think about entering the competition to win a free place for the event on 15 June.

Patrick

[Bebimama]

I would love to go. I live in London, I'm trying to be a Social Mumpreneur but I can't afford it even if it is value for money, if you haven't got the money, you haven't got the money. Makes me feel it is not for people like me then, I'm not the right demographic.
Maybe you could hold some local smaller ones, use schools, shopping centres?

[PatrickMumsnet]

Hello all,

We wanted you to be the first to know that we're giving Mumsnetters a chance to win one of 10 free tickets to WorkFest on June 15.

Click here to find out how to enter!

Also, thanks once again for all your suggestions, it's always so helpful to hear from you about what we're up to.

We hope some of you decide to enter the competition and that we have the opportunity to meet you at WorkFest or one of our other events.

Patrick

[Moominsarehippos]

Aw, fanks Mumsnet!
(Please remember who suggested it!!)

[gazzalw]

, Patrick! Thanks for listening!

[PatrickMumsnet]

Hi all,

Thanks for your feedback on the event. We hear your comments about the ticket price and will be running a competition next week offering a free ticket to 10 lucky winners! Once details of this competition is announced, we'll let you know and hopefully some or all of you will decide to enter.

[LillethTheCat]

Just checked the link, I thought it was a MN thing, but they offered it to the users of MSE website not to MNers

[LillethTheCat]

click

There was something apparently, but it is now closed

[Justine202]

Moominsarehippos Now there's a good idea!

Hey mumsnet HQ - are you listening?

[Moominsarehippos]

They really ought to offer a few free tickets in a draw.....

[Justine202]

I'm also one of the love-to-go-but-can't-justify-the-cost brigade echoing many of the posts here. £75 is actually extortionate given the high profile sponsors of the event and other speakers who will no doubt be peddling their brands.

Real shame that this event excludes the most people that really need it.

[Moominsarehippos]

I could have organised it for less than £75! I've done corporate dinners in far swamkier places with entertainment, booze, booze and more booze (and dinner) for not all that much more. Are they charging huge fees to speak then? In PR terms, these guys will make a lot on the back of this.

The swankiness of the location is irrelevant if the target is women trying to claw their way back into work or set up a business. There are far cheaper venues that are still central that could have been used. Some businesses have their own hospitality areas and would have piggybacked/sponsored to keep costs down.

Naughty Mumsnet. Its just too much! I'm back in work on half what I was on NINE years ago, and we're in the redundancy shit again.

Harrumph.

[MrTumblesBavarianFanbase]

Could Barclay's or Honda have sponsored the event in return for "Sponsored by Barclays and Honda" banners everywhere and in the title of the event, making it free to attend, instead of donating expensive prizes

[gazzalw]

I think the key issue here is that particularly amongst well-educated women, who've had their children late and possibly have not returned to work twixt children, there is a huge need to attend this type of event to 'reboot' in preparation for the return to the work marketplace. BUT, the cost is significant.

We are a one income family currently, above average salary for me but not well-off by London standards at all. £95 is a big chunk of the monthly disposable income and really the joint account can rarely afford such a 'luxury'. DS has an activities week at school which is essentially compulsory and that's £60.00. Ideally it should be easy to afford both but it's not.....

Great idea though...... Pity you can't get the companies involved to stump up bursaries to attend

[Amazinggg]

Jeez, £75?! I am also Mn's biggest fan, but just no.

And I'm within spitting distance of London and in a high earning household - just not me doing the earning, unfortunately... I'd love to go, and would if it were £30 or less.

For £75 I'd want to be given a job.

[BananaramaLlama]

Workfest outside London would be great - the ticket itself doesn't seem too pricy (too me) but accommodation in London means you are spending two or three times more just to attend. Edinburgh? ;)

[TheUnicornsGoHawaiian]

I would love this. It's a bit too expensive for me, especially factoring in travel costs. Wolverhampton and Birmingham are the closest cities to me but Manchester wouldnt cost a fortune to get to either. Brilliant idea though

[PatrickMumsnet]

@starkadder

Why not do a series of webinars on the same theme for those who can't make it?

Hi starkadder, we are going to be creating some digital content on the day that will be hosted on Mumsnet after the event. Also, as I said in a previous post, we are definitely looking to do WorkFest in other places around the country and will keep you posted!

Best,

Patrick