There are ten simple habits, that practiced every day, will help you land a dream job, advance your sales career, and boost your income.

You might have seen the meme called, “10 Things That Require Zero Talent.” Here is the list, in case you’ve missed it.

1. Being on Time
2. Work Ethic
3. Effort
4. Body Language
5. Energy
6. Attitude
7. Passion
8. Be Coachable
9. Doing Extra
10. Being Prepared

These are the exact traits every manager wants to see in the people the bring onto and keep on their team. Let’s look at each of these habits, that will advance your sales career, from a manager’s perspective.

Being on Time

How can anyone rely on someone who can’t show up?

There are so many resources available today that help individuals plan routes and avoid construction and traffic, that there is no real excuse for being late. If a job candidate is late for an interview or an employee is habitually late, a manager will question their reliability and commitment.

Work Ethic

Demonstrating a good work ethic from the very first job you’ve ever held to your present position paints a picture of who you are and can be to the company and its clients.

• Are you prepared?
• How do your social media sites reflect your work ethic?
• Is your LinkedIn profile up to date?
• Do you talk positively about work and colleagues or are your comments disparaging?

Effort

An often-overlooked key to success is effort. Salespeople who put in extraordinary effort, who are willing to work harder than expected to achieve results, are simply more successful.

• What have you done when someone tells you no?
• What do you do when faced with seemingly unsurmountable challenges?
• Are you clear on your professional and personal goals?
• Are you driven to achieving them?

Body Language

Proper body language can build confidence in coworkers and customers.

• Do you maintain eye contact, speak in a low, steady voice, use your hands for emphasis, smile and offer a strong handshake?
• Even if you are nervous, do they become more relaxed and confident as the interview or meeting goes on?

Energy

Pay attention to your energy level. A sales professional may have experience, knowledge, skill, and a history of success; however, without positive energy their skills cannot be fully realized.

• Are you positive or do you appear and act tired or bored?
• Do you have the energy to do the job, to be a team player and to be present for the customers?
• How you contribute to your company is as important as what you contribute.

Passion

Sales professionals who are passionate about their jobs are committed to consistently achieving higher levels of performance. Yet, according to Deloitte University Press, “Up to 87.7 percent of America’s workforce … doesn’t have passion for their work. Less than 12.3 percent of America’s workforce possesses the attributes of worker passion.”

• What are you passionate about at work and outside the work environment?
• Are you sports enthusiasts?
• What kind of passion would you have for the company and for its customers?
• Do you demonstrate a desire for continual learning, improvement and challenge?
• Are you willing to try new ideas and take risks that benefit an organization?

Coachable

This is the most important of the 10 items. If you are coachable, a manager can take your positive attributes and polish them into something even better.

• Do you seem to have an answer for everything?
• If a manager offers a suggestion, do you listen or shrug it off?
• Do you correct others or talk over them?
• Do you interrupt?

Doing Extra

Sales professionals who do extra are committed to being their best, to their customers and to their employers.

• Do you go the extra mile?
• What time do you arrive for the interview or for work?
• What beyond their assigned job responsibilities have you done?
• Do you serve on committees?
• Do you lead teams?
• Are you involved in employee programs?
• Do you go the extra mile for customers and help solve problems?
• Or do you come in, work your hours and leave?

Being Prepared

Preparation is essential to performing at the top of your game. Successful preparation requires the ability to pay attention, identify and solve problems.

• During the interview or at work, do you listen carefully?
• Do you take accountability for the successes and challenges in your career?
• Can you think quickly and solve problems?

Attitude

It’s all about attitude. Developing and demonstrating a winning attitude is the ultimate key to advancing your sales career. The first nine traits are influenced by attitude. If you score low in any of the other nine traits, chances are, you don’t have a positive attitude and may not be the best member of the team.

There is a reason why top performers in every field subscribe and listen to the Sales Gravy Podcast.