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.

[Sunnysas]

Hi, this looks like the sort of thing I need to kick start my return to work after having several years at home with the children. Unfortunately like the courses you offer it is prohibitively expensive and London based. It's a brilliant idea but in reality only reaches out to a minority of privileged women who already have opportunities at hand. Come on mumsnet look over the horizon there are lots of poorer Welsh/Scottish/northern etc ambitious women out here who need help onto the next stage of our lives/career!

[betterwhenthesunshines]

Well, I've taken the plunge. I'm a bit worried all the sessions will be a bit too generic, but I'm interested in the bits about using an online presence to market yourself.

I'm hoping that chance to meet up with some other people will help foster a bit of proactive energy! At the moment I'm confused by options without the nerve or energy to devote myself one way or another!

Anyone else in??

[Mammy2Be]

I'm such a big Mumsnet fan and advocate. However, I have to say I'm appalled at the cost of the ticket to this event. And also agree with the earlier poster...why so London centric? Come on Mumsnet, think outside the box (and by 'box' I mean M25).
Really disappointing!

[PatrickMumsnet]

Hello all,

Just over two weeks to go now until our first-ever Mumsnet WorkFest event which will take place at BAFTA in central London. The exciting news is that we've recently confirmed that Dragons' Den star James Caan will be headlining the day. James will be lining up alongside a whole range of fabulous speakers including Elle Magazine's Lorraine Candy, JustineMumsnet, and entrepreneur and MasterChef winner, Thomasina Miers.

Still not booked your ticket for this must-attend event? There are still a few places available so book now!

Patrick

[saad365]

Rightly said by the ladies its far too pricey:(

[gazzalw]

DW would love to go but it's too expensive for her at what is an expensive time of the year....

[ItsallisnowaFeegle]

Another resounding 'Thumbs Down' for the cost and location.

[LillethTheCat]

I would love to go as Im trying to get back into work and being met with the "you have no recent experience" line so would love some ideas on how to boost my CV and cover letters. Unfortunately for me, being out of work not only the cost of getting to London I can't afford, but the £75 a ticket is way out of my budget. If I could afford that I would be working so wouldn't need to go.

[PatrickMumsnet]

Hi all,

I'm sorry it's a tricky time of year for some of you ? we may well change the date for next year and run the event in March. Would this be better?

Also, we really hope to do WorkFest outside of London next year and maybe even sooner. In fact, we are already looking into this possibility.

As for the price, we have tried to keep this down but, of course, hosting it in a lovely venue with everything provided costs money. We really hope that those attending find it good value though.

[InMySpareTime]

Sorry, I'm out too. I'm based in the North West, and £75 is way more than I can justify for the work I might get out of it.
How about a non-London event, it'd be cheaper to hire a venue so you could charge less per ticket, and would help those outside London (let's face it, the majority of Brits) find ways to expand their business.
£75 is a big ask, especially for fledgling business people, who will be facing start-up costs and an initial loss of income while they build business up. Add on transport and accommodation and it's not feasible for many of your target demographic.
How about a webchat or business page on the website summarising key tips and ideas?

[ItsallisnowaFeegle]

I'm in the NW too and just getting ready to go back to work after mat leave but would love to attend something like this.

I think you'll be pricing people out no matter where you held it, if the £75 entry fee stands.

Shame

[PatrickMumsnet]

So pleased to hear that you would be keen for us to host something in the North West. Which city would you suggest?

[ItsallisnowaFeegle]

Manchester, but of course!

[InMySpareTime]

Manchester

[iseenodust]

MNHQ if you're thinking about a session up north then Leeds is literally central with good road/rail links.

[starkadder]

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

[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

[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

[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? ;)

[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.

[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

[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

[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.

[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]

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