Issue link: https://digital.hrreporter.com/i/213549
working at this company?" These are powerful questions that serve as excellent ways to find out what's important to the person. I will let you in on a little secret — companies don't hire people, people hire people. So find out what's important to them and build from there. FOCUS ON THE OTHER PERSON Find out what's important to the person you're connecting with and spend most of your time there. It's always great if the other person helps you, but you need to focus on her. Networking is a two-way street and it will always come back your way. Your side of the street must always be about giving and helping others get what they want. When you help enough people achieve their goals and dreams, it will naturally circle back to you. Don't ask for favours until you have earned the right. You can ask when you have given them lots of value and they will definitely reciprocate. Most of the time, they will ask how they can help and you can let them know at that time — or say you'll take a rain check. You must get to know them and their needs. Once you establish what's important to them and act on helping them be successful or look good, you can talk about your needs. But you must build the relationship first and gain trust and respect. You need to become a trusted advisor and friend. LISTEN You have two ears and one mouth — use them proportionately. When looking for a job, most people are doing the wrong things and have the wrong plan. They are getting good at bad habits. It's a numbers game and you must know what you are doing. You have to have a strategy and do it every day. Here are two concepts that will make the difference. THE RULE OF 4 TO 8 This rule is based on the fact success in anything in life is simply a few disciplines practised every day. You don't need 20 disciplines — usually four to eight will give you everything you need. Here are four solid ones to start: • Plan your next day the night before. Why? So you hit the ground running and don't spend one-half of your day planning it. • Wake up early. If you usually wake up at 7 a.m., get up at 6 a.m. instead. If you get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day, you nearly add a whole day to your week. • Have daily metrics and an action plan. Make five calls before 9 a.m. and connect with two new people each day. Set up two meetings per day. Make 10 calls per day, and the list goes on. • Remember PFF — prospect, face-time and followup. Spend at least four or more hours per day trying to get to people, in front of people or following up with people. Remember, people hire people. Your focus must be on people. Do your research at night and in the off-peak hours. COMPOUND INTEREST EFFECT Anyone who has been successful in sales and marketing, including marketing or branding themselves, knows the benefits of compound interest. If you make 10 calls per day, that may not seem like a lot. But after a week, that's 50 calls. After a month, it's 200. After a year? 2,400. Now you get where I am going. Finding a job is about creating your four to eight daily disciplines or habits and understanding the compound interest effect. Both these strategies are critical in networking, finding a job and being successful in life. / TIM CORK is President of Straight A's Inc., a Toronto-based leadership development, coaching and sales training firm. He is also author of Tapping the Iceberg and president of Toronto chapter of the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA). He has a new book coming out in 2012, entitled G3. For more information, visit www.timcork.com. canadian hr profession 24 hrreporter.com HRP.indd 24 12-03-26 11:28 AM