Networking is the key to business success. It helps you find jobs, recruit talent, and find customers and investors.

But networking is a trial for shy people -- geeks especially -- for whom it feels insincere or manipulative. They avoid it, afraid it will lead to rejection. But that undermines their careers and projects.

“Networking isn’t smarmy,” says Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone a best-seller on networking for professional success. It’s a buzzword for building sincere relationships based on mutual generosity. Good networks are built on good relationships, and you can’t build your career or business without those. You need people to help you.

Fortunately, networking is a set of social skills any smart person can learn. Here are 17 networking skills to try right now.