Contracting and mix CDs.

When I started my professional career, one of my first bosses was a woman named Laura. She helped me move from doing phone tech support, into the Development department and gave me my first shot programming video games in their "kids entertainment" division. Laura and a couple of my team members became some of my first mentors, and were extremely helpful in me furthering my career. Over the years, I've made other associates that were also extremely helpful to me, or were just all around nice folks with whom I wanted to remain in contact. Each year in December, I used to send holiday cards, much like a lot of people do. A few years ago I switched from cards to "holiday mix CDs" -- I compile a CD of songs that came out during that calendar year, print up covers and send them off to my "Christmas card list", including these associates from previous employment (as well as some family members and fellow music junkie friends of mine). At first, I did it just because a) I'm a huge music nut and b) these were more fun than sending traditional cards, while still having a "personal touch" to them. Over the years I've realized that it's having another benefit as well: people REMEMBER these CDs! Pretty much year round, when I run into a business associate at a trade show, meeting, bar, whatever, I'll often hear "hey, thanks again for that mix CD!"...sometimes as far after the holidays as May or June! It's apparently more memorable than I had realized when first making them. Let's face it: nobody says "thanks for that holiday card" in May or June! :) Several times now, it's had another benefit: these associates call me for consulting work! In fact it happened this morning: an old contact of mine that I haven't sync'd up with in ages (but remains on my "holiday mix CD list") shot me an email saying he needs a ColdFusion contractor for an upcoming project. One 5-minute phone call later, and I got the contract. :) I'm convinced that these CDs help keep me on the list of "possible contacts" for work, even with folks like this, that I haven't been able to touch bases with in a number of months (in this morning's case, it has been well over a year. ack!). I've gotten several offers for work from people on my "holiday CD list". One such offer turned into an amazing opportunity at a dotcom for, nearly two years of gainful employment. It's too late for this holiday season, but for next year, my advice to the contractors out there is: send something to your business associates that a) includes your contact info and b) keeps you memorable. --n