You’ve heard this before: “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”
Basically, success comes through connection over knowledge.
For an engineer, this is a frustrating proverb because (most) engineers focus on knowledge. Knowing somebody won’t keep the bridge standing during a hurricane or the phone call connected at 70 mph on the highway. That’s physics.
But maybe there’s a glimmer at the end of the tunnel because “who you know” isn’t quite correct, either. A connection is meaningless without some level of recognition and trust. Connections alone won’t help if no one remembers your name when it matters. The real key is to build a reputation that travels without you — where others know your work, your character, and your value, even when you’re not in the room.
It’s not who you know. It’s who knows you.
