As I wrote about in a previous post, networking is important. Here’s another example from my own experience:

When I was 22 and working at General Mills, I became interested in the International Division. I was intrigued by the global customer base, the unique brands, and, to be honest, the potential to travel the world on the company dime. While General Mills had a performance review process during which individuals were asked their short- and long-term goals, I didn’t wait for that annual ritual to come around to express my interest in a global role.

After I mentioned to a few more senior colleagues that I was interested in working in International, a connection was made with the VP of the Int’l R&D group (my functional area), and before I knew it, I was in the VPs office sharing my story and why I was a good fit for his group. There was no open position, and he previously had no idea who I was. But, lo and behold, when a spot DID open up, guess who got it? This girl.