I think at its core, combat in general is a lean-to in player culture. It's also what we see in a lot of cyberpunk film. Dredd, Cyberpunk, etc. Even in Blade runner, the sleuth can kick physical ass as needed. Everyone wants to be billy badass, and smashing your rival into the pavement (or even having a rep for being able to) is the most visceral (and sometimes satisfying) representation of that.
Anyway, non-com advice? I've seen some good suggests already, and I have some thoughts on it.
Physical prowess, in a word, is convenient. It's easy to carry out. It gets results. And it can be the path of least resistance. I play a character skilled in combat, but made a shift away from using it a couple of years ago. It has been incredibly difficult, and I've on occasion wrestled with throwing in the towel to use it again. But whether you specialize in combat, or invest no UE to it at all, there are some universal things you need to do - regardless of where your skill sets lay.
1. Be an asset to people
A lot of what Fopsy has expressed in terms of non-coms balancing and carefully calculating moves is true, especially as a shot caller with little or no support, and the danger of being exposed to your enemies (and sometimes your friends too) is real. If you're attempting to manipulate events quietly, then plan for the path in which you infrequently receive credit for your actions, or build up allies that will back you if shit hits the fan.
The goal here might be to build deep rep with a few people that know you're effective at something. Teach them to rely on your efficiency, consistency, and/or dependability. This doesn't refer to your technical skill with mechanical stats. It's a reference to your character's reputation in general, and you'll need to rely on it when things go bad.
If you're an aspiring cyberdoc, secure tech, etc. seek people willing to invest in you. I actively invest chrome and advice and time into characters that seek a skillset I lack and that I want to utilize. So do a lot of others.
If you're a no-name fixer wannabe, then find the made fixer willing to mentor you. Offer to work for them, be a face, etc. Prove yourself reliable and invest in each other, build trust, and branch off into broader things as you grow under them.
You have to put in the legwork, find them, prove you can be useful, and ask. You might be surprised at the opportunities that unfurl for you. This leads to...
2. Networking
Hot Take: Someone above said deep combat is overrated, and they're right 90 or so percent of the time. Know what isn't overrated? Not having to lift a finger to a gun because your three biz partners/chums will do it for you, sometimes while you stand there and watch it happen all smug-like. Or hell, not even your chums.
I've been in a couple of situations where my general rep alone has summoned a handful or two of people to show up for me or mine just by making pubsic statements or requests in the moment.
Nobody is a one man army. There's always someone better, and even if you think you're the best, a moderately skilled group of allies can (and often will) still put you down if you're alone in a fight.
Therefore, even a deep investment in combat is unlikely to free you from the need for creating allies, networking, and being useful.
I can't stress networking enough, and it's something I preach to and foster for new players like gospel when I have the opportunity.
3. Rep
This word has popped up a lot in what I've already written, and it's crucial. Build it. Make a name for yourself as something, and do it fast. It's true that the first two weeks won't teach a new player everything about the game, and it isn't meant to. I've been playing for the better part of five years, and I still often feel like an infant in this pond. It's a brutal, unforgiving environment to RP in, there are uncountable amounts of things you could learn/know IC and OOC to inform gameplay, and there are disclaimers as to its difficulty.
Rep can take that edge off, and it goes hand in hand with the the first two points above. A budding rep can be established as quickly as the character settles on one and fosters it - even before the Immy period is over.
ICly, rep is a measure of your character's social status, and the responses it gets from people will inform/boost your RP opportunities. Build it, and they will come.
OOCly, I've concluded that your rep is how we as players determine if we want to engage in RP with you. I don't mean this in terms of "Is this baka a Cain? Yes? Fuck them.", or "Damn this femboy is the funniest decker I've ever met.". I mean OOCly, "does this person RP? Are they present at all? Are they engaging at all? Are they making some measurable effort that makes the return effort of approaching them worth my time?" Therefore, at the heart of these suggestions is this next piece of advice.
4. Be Social
It's hard to constantly seek engagement with players that are lukewarm about RP, or that don't seem to RP at all. We're playing a game here, but there's an emotional, mental, physical investment in RP, and people don't want to feel like that time is being wasted.
This is often a problem I see (I've been victim to it myself) in veteran players; we get exhausted with the repeated failures of engaging in RP, just to see people quit/give up/no sell/booth, etc. It's one of the reasons Immigration type jobs have a historically high turnover rate. (my opinion based on anecdotal evidence - no statistical backing here).
Immy characters get a pass from me, but it still takes a toll when my energy is wasted like this.
Being social as a PC tells me that you are actively seeking RP opportunities even if you don't know how you want it to manifest yet, that you are physically and mentally focused on being actually present, and that you WANT to engage with somebody.
5. Last one, and this is an oft repeated piece of advice. PICK A SIDE. Very few people can be friends with everyone and not find themselves in a gutter at some point. Maybe no one. If you're that newish non-com that gives themself on the wrong end of a pubsic exchange, receiving threats, being attacked, etc. PICK A SIDE. Find that person/group's rivals and enemies. Bargain for safety or support. Indebt yourselves to them with services provided. Anything to eek out a modicum of safety or support. Work to get even if you want to. Whatever you do, PICK A SIDE.