Some people have all the career luck. You know the ones I’m talking about: They get to attend all the special conferences, give the important presentations, and land the high-profile assignments. And they never have to look for jobs— the best jobs seem to find them.

How the heck do they do it? And what steps can you take to get on the inside track to these hidden opportunities?

I once spoke with a woman who had taken a big step down in her career, walking away from a lot of responsibility to work for a company where she hoped there were more opportunities for long-term career growth. But less than one year into her new role, she was feeling bored and underutilized, and she couldn’t identify any new roles that would allow her to move up in the way she’d imagined. She seemed destined to stay stuck where she was.

She admitted that her leaders weren’t aware of her goals, so I challenged her to have honest conversations with her managers in the next couple weeks. Later that day, when a senior leader stopped by her desk, she made her move: “I believe I have mastered by current role, and I’m interested in moving into a role where I can supervise others,” she told him.

Fifteen minutes later he returned and said, “I think I may have just the opportunity for you.”

There’s a lot you can do to uncover opportunities like this one. Here are five steps you can take to take to reveal career opportunities that may be hiding in plain sight.

Read my article for The Muse.