Attitude. One word, with a big punch, and some make or break connotations for your career. How many times have you heard people extol an employee for their great attitude, no matter what, or condemn them for having a bad attitude when, by all accounts, the rest of their work performance was fine? Attitude, and other people’s perception of yours, plays a big role in the workplace.

Research suggests that 85% of job success can be “determined by ‘attitude’ and the ‘ability to deal with people,’” according to the Carnegie Foundation. Combine that with our own anecdotal evidence of people’s perceptions, and you can see how important a positive attitude is for any career—but especially in sales, where your “ability to deal with people” is critical.

Attitude in Job Interviews

Attitude is also a major factor when interviewing for a job, in any industry. Knowing all this, it seems logical that anyone pursuing a career in sales would invest in some sort of “attitude adjustment,” but that’s where it becomes tricky. What qualifies as a legitimately “bad” attitude, and what can be chalked up to personality differences? Can you be realistic, or even pessimistic, and maintain a good attitude?

We’ve all heard horror stories of customer service representatives who put their company to shame and inspire nothing but laughs at what they call “service.” But everyone has bad days, head colds, breakups and personal problems. The difference between a great salesperson and an average one really does come down to attitude: who is able to rise above a bump in the road, and who cannot.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

You don’t have to be an Oscar winning actor to succeed at work, even when you’re having a bad day. You just need to put things in their place and focus. Bringing your personal life to work can be beneficial when it allows you to connect with customers, but on a bad day, you may need to focus just on the 9 to 5. Prioritize, organize and by all means, slap a fake smile on your face—it really can help. Then take a deep breath, and focus.

The ability to segment two parts of your life in order to regroup and refocus on one will help tremendously on bad days, but it can also have residual effects on everyday performance, giving you the edge you need. When you’re able to put yourself aside and focus on the person you’re talking to, you can’t help but do a better job. Whether you’re in sales, customer service or hospitality, people like to feel that they are the center of attention. And when you give them that sense, you’ve automatically done your job a little bit better.

Try it out: give yourself a mini attitude adjustment, and see your performance improve.

Everyone is clamoring for this recession to end--quite possibly, no one more so than sales recruiters. We want our client companies and prospective hires to do well, and that means hiring the best and brightest for employers, and landing the perfect job for employees. Media outlets have been suggesting that the recession is over, and that an upswing is on the way.  While the worst may be over, we must be careful not to celebrate too soon. [http://selectmetrix.com/blogs/2009/10/dont-trust-the-dow/] I don't want to be the one to cast a shadow on this positive outlook, but when it comes to hiring, employers (and employees) need to be realistic. And that means learning from the past, in order to secure a better future.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from a recession, and as a recruiting firm, we might be in the best place to observe and teach what we've discovered over the past year. When times are tight, we learn to make due without some of life's little extras: bringing lunch from home, making out own coffee, taking public transportation. These little changes are common practice in our personal lives. But what about professionally? There are many recession tactics (besides layoffs) that can help you grow now, with a little caution, without breaking the bank later. Here are just a few ideas to get you started, and we'd love to hear more, so please, share your tips as well.

Focus on Employee Satisfaction

You have great people working for you now, but even with the worst behind them, they're probably still a little nervous. Or, as things start to look a little brighter, they might be grumpy and feel safe enough to complain about previous cost-cutting measures. Now is the time to make sure that your core team, your rockstars, are with you not only when the going gets tough, but as it gets better. Brainstorm some easy, inexpensive perks that will brighten their day without busting your budget. If big company lunches are no longer on the table, try offering a beer cart on Fridays, or gourmet goodies on Mondays. Provide employees with a way to unwind, and make sure they know how much you appreciate their hard work over the past year.

Maintain Flexibility for Maximum Productivity

This can help with employee satisfaction, too. Think about it: your employees are adults. Shouldn't you treat them as such? We live in a world where the Internet makes telecommuting possible, and employers should embrace that. Allow employees to work from home when the need arises, instead of faking sick. Encourage them to break outside the box of their cube and take a break while at work, and promote professional development initiatives. Work with your employees to offer them tailored perks and benefits that they really want; it could end up saving you money and making them much happier and more productive.

Value Honesty (In Both Yourself and Your Employees)

Yes, this means you, too. Change freaks people out, and being upfront and honest with your employees can go a long way to curbing rumors and keeping people on track to meet their, and your, goals. Tell your staff before things change, for better or worse, of if they are staying the same when other companies in your industry seem to be in flux. It's human nature to gossip, and once the rumor mill starts it can be hard to stop. If you let everyone know what is going on ahead of time--even if it's not great news--you won't give false information a chance to spread.

These tips are meant to help employers create a better working environment, but employees should take note as well. If you're looking for a new job, try to gauge how well a company is acting on these tips. And if you're happy in your job, see if you can suggest or implement these ideas to help everyone stay motivated.

People have a lot of varied opinions on the state of the economy, but the one constant is that everyone has seen its impact on their business in some way. Now, this leads many to “batten down the hatches,” so to speak, and ride out this downturn. But that is not always the best course of action, and when you’re in the sales industry, it could mean disaster. I’m serious when I say that a strong salesforce should always be your top priority. Always.

To Be the Best, You Need to Hire the Best

It may sound trite, but your company is really only as strong as your weakest link. If you consistently hire the best, brightest and highest performing sales people, your weakest link will still be far stronger than that of your competitors. Now, in order to get and keep these superstars, you need to distinguish yourself from the pack. Think about what you would want someone to say sets you apart, or why they like working there. Then make sure that is a reality for every employee, especially when times are tough. Everyone is nervous; show your employees how much you value them.

Keeping the best all for yourself is a great strategy, but it requires finding them—and that’s where a professional sales recruitment firm can make all the difference. Sales recruiters have an extensive knowledge of candidates, the job market, and the sales industry. You may know your business inside and out, but it’s tough to keep up with everyone else out there; this is where a seasoned sales recruiter can really prove their worth.

Ongoing Recruiting Requires Ongoing Marketing

Somewhat of a chicken-and-egg situation, attracting the best and brightest is much easier if you already have a reputation for hiring the best; everyone will naturally want to work for or with you. But, if you’re still building a reputation, you can fake it with some marketing savvy—and a qualified recruiter can go a long way to helping you in this arena. Developing a strong marketing campaign will lead to a pipeline of qualified candidates, allowing you to pick and choose who will help you become the company you envision in the future. Honestly explain your goals to both recruiters and candidates, and commit to building that future with your employees.

Blindly hiring candidates just to beef up your numbers is a short-term fix that will backfire; you need to recruit, not just hire. Make sure each prospect is the right fit, and will improve your company or help you reach your goals. Be picky, and insist that candidates be candid with you. What does each party want out of the arrangement, and how can you help each other?

We hear over and over again that job seekers feel that employers have the upper hand right now, and that puts you at a great advantage—but perhaps not the one you think. The best will obviously rise to the top, but you need to be in a position to hire them. Again, it’s tempting to stop hiring, low ball candidates or hire whatever you can get, but this will set you up for failure in the not-so-distant future. Work with a recruiter—as well as existing employees—to make sure that you are making smart decisions for the long-term.