Networking, networking, networking. We often focus on preparing our hard skills for opportunities, without building the social network that brings these opportunities en masse. The ability to connect with anyone on both a personal and professional level is important, and building a community of mutual support is much more valuable than learning an additional programming language or design paradigm.In terms of career growth, the majority of my opportunities have been because of my social network. A fun fact about me is that I applied to 6 schools for my PhD, and was rejected by every single one of my "safety" schools, while still being accepted into the #1 institution in the US, if not the world. This was not luck. My recommenders had personal relationships with my potential future mentors and gave glowing recommendations that had a much bigger impact than my transcripts and resume. The unexpected mentors I developed in undergrad as well as industry connections I gained through networking events are the most valuable resources I've gained over my past 8 years in tech.