Yes soft skills ate more important than what you know as well. Comes a close second to who you know.
You can always learn technical skills.
People can rarely learn people skills.
I would say it's actually the other way around. A techie can become a people guy but a people guy can't become a techie. I've seen this happen quite a few times. Obviously, if you are that good if a people guy most likely you'll just skip the techie stage on your way up the corporate ladder...
It's really not that difficult to be networked. Keep your contacts tidy, buy people lunch once in a while, bring them useful information where possible, acknowledge their help (last guy who set me an important meeting got a $120 bottle of wine), try to help them with whatever problems you can and be nice.
You don't need to be their friend. Any guy can learn the above, unless he's really really socially awkward.
Networking all the way. Always. Without networking, you're becoming one of the expendable "cannon fodder" type of guys that has to prove himself.
You make progress in life by networking and networking alone. If you are networked, opportunities will present themselves, whether you are able to take advantage of them or not. It's not what you do or how, it's who you know. I can't say I'm a people guy (I don't even have a Facebook account) so you can imagine I learned this the hard way.
Yes soft skills ate more important than what you know as well. Comes a close second to who you know.
Actually, I read an article recently where the authors did a study that showed that charm had nothing to do with success. Couldn't find it on a quick google search but it was pretty recent (within the week).
Soft skills aren't charm, it's more communication, body language, negotiating, organization awareness, etc.
mind giving me some tips on how to network?
I'd have to agree with above poster
I'd have to agree with above poster I dont feel like quoting. Its more likely a nerd will become more business-social as he spends time with the company. But social people who are afraid of computers and gadgets rarely get better with them regardless of time spent at the company. Their people skills normally help them find solutions to technical problems. And by "finding solutions" I mean "getting someone else to do it for them".
Yes. Now you're figuring it out and connecting the dots. Be the guy telling the technical person what to do.
Yup. Most high level managers, executives and CEO's are NOT detail-oriented people. They are big-picture people who also learned the art of negotiating and posses excellent social skills.
I'd rather be one of those than a highly-successful wage slave. The problem is you end up being ruthlessly competitive and cut-throat.
Upside is you bone considerably hotter women over the course of your life. Money by itself is not an aphrodisiac. Its the power that acquired the money to begin with.
People can rarely learn people skills.
Yup. Most high level managers, executives and CEO's are NOT detail-oriented people. They are big-picture people who also learned the art of negotiating and posses excellent social skills.
I'd rather be one of those than a highly-successful wage slave. The problem is you end up being ruthlessly competitive and cut-throat.
Upside is you bone considerably hotter women over the course of your life. Money by itself is not an aphrodisiac. Its the power that acquired the money to begin with.
I don't think that's always true. The managing directors at my firm (the guys making $300-$400k) are very very sharp. I've gone into meetings with them where someone will give a very thorough 10-12 minute talk about a project of some kind and they'll rip it apart immediately. "Did you think of 'x'? What about 'y'? Why didn't you consider 'z'? Talk to bob in client communications and make sure they're aware."
It can be done; I'm slightly autistic (as diagnosed by a real doctor, not self diagnosed internet autistic) and most people can't tell anymore, at least until they get to know me fairly well. But I like to relax and let it all hang out on internet forums.
Networking always wins, provided you have the skills for the job, and sometimes even if you don't.
Hiring managers naturally want the process to be as quick and painless for them as possible. If they can hire a known, liked, qualified person then they will do so to avoid sifting through resumes and hiring an unknown.
And it's not unheard of for a person with less than stellar qualifications to be hired into a position because the hiring manager likes them. And it's not always a bad idea if the person is a hard worker and can be taught the job.
There are networking events in your city you can attend.