Who you know vs. What you know?

[heavyfuel]

So we all know who you know, will get you further ahead than what you know. My question is, to what point? 60/40? split? 50/50? 70/30? I'm curious because, I've come to the realization that maybe I should take a business course of some sort. My concern is, down the road if I ever decide to no longer be self employed. I have a real issue with my people skills in general. I can handle clients with ease, I'm talking more on a management level dealing with employees and vendors. From what I gather from the few of my GF's corporate functions I've attended It seems to me that a guy could ace any degree but without proper proficiency with people skills it would all be in vain. Thoughts?

[Rat Fink]

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[rx7boi]

You need to rephrase your question.

What is your aim? More money? A different job? You say you might not be self-employed down the road, what kind of education and skills do you have?

If you want a different job, who you know is going to make alot of things happen for you. Social networking takes precedence if you know where you want to be and you know who can help you make that happen.

If you want more money and don't have the expertise to be valuable, then you need more knowledge. Again, if you already have it, then who you know will take precedence. CEO's and Executives who move from company to company often end up calling their old buddies who they worked with before.

If you really want a number, I'd say 80%. The most valuable tool that successful people have is how to deal with others.

[spikerS]

I have found it is not so much a question of what you know VS who you know, but a matter of Who knows of you, and thinks highly of you.

[heavyfuel]

Originally posted by rx7boi
You need to rephrase your question.

What is your aim? More money? A different job? You say you might not be self-employed down the road, what kind of education and skills do you have?

If you want a different job, who you know is going to make alot of things happen for you. Social networking takes precedence if you know where you want to be and you know who can help you make that happen.

If you want more money and don't have the expertise to be valuable, then you need more knowledge. Again, if you already have it, then who you know will take precedence. CEO's and Executives who move from company to company often end up calling their old buddies who they worked with before.

If you really want a number, I'd say 80%. The most valuable tool that successful people have is how to deal with others.

I only have grade 12. Goal is not necessarily more money but more stability and long-term prosperity. I'm trying to determine just exactly if it is worth it for me to take a business course, because my main challenges and obstacles right now I'd say are 30% lack of education and 70% can't deal with people. I'm not as dumb as I come off on here, I'm really not. I know I could do really well with furthering my education if I applied myself. It's the whole schmoozing thing that concerns me, you can't learn how to make people like you in a classroom.

[ExtraSlow]

I'd say you already know your answer. if you think 70% of your issue is not being able to deal with people, that's probably about right. Every job involves dealing with people. Could be co-workers, managers, lower level employees, clients or the general public. People skills are crucial.

I'm an Engineer, one of those stereotypical fields where people skills "aren't important" and I can tell you for sure, they are. I have a few co-workers with poor people skills, and I know for a fact that it's hurt their careers.

The first step to good people skills is to always try to help people. Every time you talk to someone, figure out what it is they want, what it is they need (might be different) and offer your assistance. Everybody is worth your time.

Also worth looking for resources on dealing with other age groups. Different generations are motivated very differently, and you need to treat them differently.

[gamman]

Great positive info here. A degree and credentials will get you screened in (lack thereof and to the dustbin). It's people and references that will get you the good work. The above comments are great, but I will add in a sales type roll or even groveling for work type situation, its who knows you AND will return your call/likes you/etc.

I know lots of people, but they blew me off (not in a good way), when I was prospecting for contract work, and some of them were people who have made 6 figures off of me. Was I mad? You bet, still am.

[E36M3]

Taking a business course that you've carefully selected is a good idea. Learning how to deal with people more effectively is an even better idea and you should do both.

It has a terrible title and may even sound offensive when I recommend it to people, but I really enjoyed reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and re-read it every year or two.

Just my two cents.

[ExtraSlow]

Dale Carnegie (Author of the book mentioned above) is THE gold standard when it comes to soft skills training.

[8baller8]

I think the term "people skills" is overrated. I'd say being "confident" is more important then the aforementioned people skills.

Typically, those that move up are extremely confident and it shows with how they treat people. In turn, they open up to new job roles and their work becomes better because they are more confident in what they are doing and have the skills to back it up.

My $0.02 anyway.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[ExtraSlow]

Confidence is a big part of it. Some people are insecure, and constantly try to compare themselves to others in an attempt to boost thier fragile egos. Some people even feel like tearing someone else down will make them look good. In the long run, that kind of thinking will not succeed.

Confidence plus humility will get you a long way.
But there are many other skills aside from confidence that are required.

[woodywoodford]

Originally posted by E36M3
Taking a business course that you've carefully selected is a good idea. Learning how to deal with people more effectively is an even better idea and you should do both.

It has a terrible title and may even sound offensive when I recommend it to people, but I really enjoyed reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and re-read it every year or two.

Just my two cents.

This and Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" should both be required reading for anybody working in any kind of office setting, or in any kind of sales/leadership/management role. I don't usually put a lot of emphasis on books, especially "self help", but these ones are just too good to pass up. I keep audiobooks of both on my phone at all times.

[Toma]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Dale Carnegie (Author of the book mentioned above) is THE gold standard when it comes to soft skills training.

God, that shit totally does work. I've read the book numerous times, and even took the aweful boring ass Dale Carnegie training class here in town cause I was bored.

But god damn it, it's just so hard to be so civil and proper and nice lol

[Mitsu3000gt]

I have worked in oil & gas marketing since the beginning of my career, and literally the only thing that matters is your experience (75%) and who you know (25%). That balance can shift depending on how high up the person you know is, haha. Your degree is utterly worthless, and nobody has ever checked that or grades. It's simply a piece of paper proving you're competent. Most people could do their jobs having never gone through post secondary schooling unless it is very specialized (engineer, lawyer, doctor, etc.).

Every single person I know who busted their ass in school to get a 4.0 or close to it has never had their degree or grades checked. Mostly engineers.

I have also had presidents of companies tell me they have hired people based on flawless grades, and later let them go because they were fully retarded in every other area of life except school. Lots of people are strictly book smart, which is what schooling rewards even though it means nothing in the real world.

"Business" type jobs are definitely the ones where experience and contacts mean the most if that's what you're after.

[JBreaks]

I would argue that it's the tactful art of showing what you know, subtly, at the right moment, to that person that you know. Oh ya, and you won't have a clue what knowledge you might need most or when face time with the right people will occur.

[jjmac]

Our company currently attended a seminar regarding this topic from http://elevatedhr.com/

Some coles notes from what I remember:

- Companies tend to lean towards hiring people who fit THEIR culture.

- Values, characteristics and personality aren't taught, they are inherent per individual. These can shift, however they aren't permanent shifts.

- Specific skill sets can be taught and molded to the companies needs.

- Just like any relationship, your ability to communicate and get along with your co-workers, clients, vendors, managers, supervisors are critical.


My opinion, what you know becomes irrelevant if the person who you're trying to share you knowledge with doesn't like you one bit.

Who you know and who knows you will depend on what relationship you built with that person.

A relationship built on relevant value being given and received between two people will always have a stronger foundation.

Also take note that you CANNOT please and care for everyone.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by spikers
I have found it is not so much a question of what you know VS who you know, but a matter of Who knows of you, and thinks highly of you.

This along with knowing the right people has opened so many doors for me in life, its beyond measure.

Being a man of your word, having utmost integrity, accountability and honesty has helped enormously on its own, leave alone above and beyond everything else.

[Stephen81]

Originally posted by spikers
I have found it is not so much a question of what you know VS who you know, but a matter of Who knows of you, and thinks highly of you.

Agreed, networking is so much more than collecting the most connections on Linkedin. I know as part of my business degree we took some Business Communication courses...I believe those are open to the public at some colleges/Uni's. Might be worth looking into?

[rx7boi]

Originally posted by heavyfuel


I only have grade 12. Goal is not necessarily more money but more stability and long-term prosperity. I'm trying to determine just exactly if it is worth it for me to take a business course, because my main challenges and obstacles right now I'd say are 30% lack of education and 70% can't deal with people. I'm not as dumb as I come off on here, I'm really not. I know I could do really well with furthering my education if I applied myself. It's the whole schmoozing thing that concerns me, you can't learn how to make people like you in a classroom.

You don't seem dumb. You're opinionated on the forums and I can say that it is great you have the awareness to think about things like this.

If the business course makes sense for you, then take it, but if you want the life skills on how to deal with people, you should read Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people." as others have said. It's an easy book to read, but a very hard book to put into action.

Originally posted by spikers
I have found it is not so much a question of what you know VS who you know, but a matter of Who knows of you, and thinks highly of you.

Spikers elaborated a bit on that, but it's not really much further from what everyone has been saying. For social networking, you want to know who has the ability to help you reach your goals and is willing to help. No one's going to spend time social networking with schmucks to get a job at Starbucks.