BECOMING YOUR OWN BOSS

MENLO PARK, CA -- An independent career path may be in the cards for many creative professionals. Sixty-one percent of advertising and marketing executives surveyed recently said they are likely to consider consulting at some point in their careers. Another 10 percent said they have worked or are working as consultants.

The survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service that provides marketing, advertising, creative and web professionals on a project basis. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes 250 responses -- 125 from advertising executives among the nation's 1,000 largest advertising agencies and 125 from senior marketing executives among the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "How likely is it that you will consider freelancing or consulting as a profession at some point in your career?" Their responses:

"Consulting is an attractive employment option for advertising and marketing professionals because it provides flexibility as well as access to a wide variety of projects and business environments," said Tracey Turner, executive director of The Creative Group. "Executives often choose this career path so they can specialize in the areas they find most interesting and rewarding while establishing their own work schedules."

Turner noted that creative professionals seeking greater independence may be seeing more employment opportunities as companies increasingly rely on freelancers to fill immediate needs. "In an uncertain economy, bringing in people on a project basis can be a cost-effective staffing strategy, enabling firms to access specific skill sets without committing to a full-time hire until they're certain the work will be ongoing."

The Creative Group has offices in major markets across the United States and in Canada
and offers online job search services at www.creativegroup.com.