To ask if can go far in your career if you’re a reserved person who doesn’t overshare at work?

[OneSharpNavyShaker]

A friend insists that career success is all about “who you know” rather than “what you know” and that being sociable, chatty, and open at work is essential for getting ahead. I’m naturally more reserved and don’t feel comfortable oversharing or constantly networking just for the sake of it.

Have any reserved people here managed to progress well in their careers? Or is my fried right that keeping to myself will hold me back?

In my work i progressed but slowly.
Also had a couple of colleagues who vouched for me at how good i was.

But i think there was always an assumpstion i ws shy and so wouldnt want to do things.
But i am just a quiet persin but i could speak in meetings and make importany points/ stand up and give a presentation.

Its annoying that "putting yourself out there" is always networking and speaking to loads of people. I showed how good i was differently. Its slow going mind

I think it depends what field you work in.

I think there's a certain amount of relationship building with colleagues that needs to happen in every field, but I don't share hardly anything about my personal life, and don't really do networking or events. It's never held me back.

If I worked in Marketing or Sales or something similar, I would probably have felt I needed to make more effort in those directions, which was part of the reason I didn't choose them.

Plenty of industries attract quieter people who want to do more technical work and interact with others less, so just need to find something that matches your preferences.

I think it really depends on the job & the sector to be honest.

In my own experience it’s not one or the other, it’s both. You have to know your stuff and your work has to be good, but knowing the right people and being known by the right people is massively helpful too in a number of ways.

For example if it comes down to you & 1 other person and both impress equally at interviews/qualifications then the differentiating factor can be someone vouching for you, remembering you from work. Sometimes knowing & being known by the right people is the only way you are notified of a job coming up, I’ve had that before where someone has let me know a job will be going out that they think I’d be good for so I had time to think/prepare and knew where to look & when to find it- unless I’d been looking everywhere daily I’d probably never have even noticed the advert go out. If you’re someone who sits quietly and gets on with their work then you probably wouldn’t be immediately thought of for a role that involves management, public speaking, hosting meetings etc for example.

Mark zuckerberg? Plenty of introverts do well

I'm am introvert and am climbing the ladder ok. I don't share my personal details with colleagues but I do put on a fake confident face and network within the company. That much is expected if you want to move into a managerial position in my sector.

Completely depends on the industry. My DH and I are both at director level now – I am very chatty and sociable at work, always have been. I work in a media based industry. DH works in finance and is extremely reserved. He's a high earner.