Over the years, I've come to realize that talent isn't always enough to get you by in life. You might be a gifted designer, but if you can't talk a good game, sometimes a gig may pass you by. To keep working steadily in this wacky business of ours, you have to have an edge, something that makes you stand out, something that makes people remember you long after they've witnessed your talents on a production or shared a meal with you. You've got to have your schmooze down. The Internet defines schmooze thusly: "To converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection." I can't say it any better than that. Before you wow someone with your talents, you must be able to enlighten them with conversation and make them feel that bringing you into a gig they are involved with is going to be an asset to them. If you exude confidence, the first time you make contact with someone, they are relieved. They feel 100 percent better knowing they hired a pro, simply because you have schmoozed them.
From "LD-at-Large" by Nook Schoenfeld, PLSN, April 2010
