I hear it all the time: How are things at MPN? Are the numbers increasing in this “bad” economy? Is the recession affecting employment for marketers? The fact is, the numbers in MPN are too small to generalize, but if I had to, I’d say that there has not been an appreciable increase in the numbers at MPN nor a significant decrease in the number of marketing jobs out there. Right now. But tomorrow may be different. Many job indexes are down, although they tend not to be for the highly skilled workers that are in MPN. On the other hand, executive recruiters continue to be busy and the demand for temporary and contract workers — which often is an indicator of hiring trends — has remained steady according to the American Staffing Association. Still, the expansion seems slowly teetering towards a contraction; how prolonged it will be no one knows. And it remains to be seen what impact the Federal Reserve’s recent aggressive actions will have on growth. What is clear is that there is enough uncertainty to warrant a weather eye on things…and an extra effort to get out and keep your network alive and well. That’s why those MPNers who are currently in jobs and are attending tonight’s Soiree are smart: They’ve learned, often the hard way, that it pays to stay in touch with others in the industry. And there’s nothing better than face time to reconnect with old friends and colleagues, and to meet some of the newcomers in MPN. So, until you can find a one-armed economist, you should probably play it safe and take care of business: first comes your network.