Have you ever had a moment that completely changed your career? Virginie Faivre, Manager of Enterprise Business Sales at salesforce.com, did...and it ended up not only changing her career, but also changing the company. How, you ask? Let me explain.

Over 11 years ago, as an exchange student at an Irish university, Faivre was leaving class when she spotted a flyer for a little start-up tech company called salesforce.com. On a whim, she decided to apply for an internship at our Foundation (what the heck, right?). Well, that moment led to a summer job, which led to a full-time role...and it’s been an jet-setting #dreamjob journey ever since.

A true trailblazer, Faivre helped pioneer salesforce.com’s expansion in Europe. She became the first sales representative and first business development representative to cover France (and second in all of Europe!), then an account executive in Iberia. In 2010, she moved back to sales development and is now managing a killer sales team in Dublin. And in addition to selling, leading and innovating at salesforce.com, she also holds down another full-time job, as mom to one-year-old daughter Mélanie.

Despite her busy schedule, Faivre took the time to chat with us about how she does it all and what she’s learned from over a decade in the business. Here, salesforce.com’s Woman of the Month shares how she’s been able to lead a successful career.

1. Clearly, you’ve been productive to get where you are now! What is your top tip for being productive at work?

Nothing is more valuable than your time, so make sure you use it wisely! Plan and organize your time so it doesn’t get wasted. Identify what is urgent and important and “just do it.” For everything else, delegate. Not only will you gain time, but you’ll give someone else the opportunity build up their skills.

2. How do you identify areas you need to work on, and how do you make necessary changes?

I request a lot of feedback on everything I do — any presentation I give or any training I deliver — from both my manager and my entire team. I’m always trying to categorize what I need to continue doing, stop doing and start doing in order to get better and better at my job.

Then comes prioritization: figuring out what is most urgent and important is critical. Once I realize what skills I need to work on, I develop a game plan to develop and hone those skills...then ask for feedback and start the process all over again!

3. How do you balance work and life?

As a new mother, this is a skill that I’m still working on. I know my personality: I am very passionate about my job, and sometimes it’s hard to log off. So to help me focus, I rely on my work calendar. Everything is scheduled and color-coded — I even have a recurring daily meeting that pops ups saying “Go home, Mélanie is waiting!” I find myself laughing with my team — they’ll remind me to go spend time with my daughter and that we’ll finish the discussion later.

4. How do your outside interests help you be better at work?

I’ve done lot of capoeira (a Brazilian art form that includes martial arts, dance and music); it gives me energy and helps me focus, and helps me burn off any frustration from the office. But my family is my driving force; they give me support like no one else, and that helps me be my best self at work.

 5. What is the best career guidance you’ve ever gotten?

“Be careful what you wish for!” It’s important to really think hard about the opportunities you go after. During my career I’ve gone after positions and didn’t get them, but there was usually a reason. Looking back, if they had worked out, I probably wouldn’t have developed the skills and the career I have today.

6. What words of wisdom do you have for other women who might be interested in following in your footsteps?

To go anywhere in life, you need to have an idea of where it is you want to go — you need to have an objective. If you fail (and you will at some point because we all have setbacks), don’t give up; pick yourself up and learn from it. Take as much feedback as you can, and build it into your career “action plan.” Work on your action plan with your manager or mentor, and keep moving towards your goals — another opportunity will present itself and you’ll want to be ready then! And the last piece of advice I would give would be to lead by example...to really walk the talk.

7. What is your best advice for moving ahead in your career?

Deliver on your commitments, always give your best and know where you’re going.

The salesforce.com Woman of the Month campaign turns the spotlight on the amazing women who help make salesforce.com the World’s Most Innovative Company (according to Forbes) and one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Companies to Work For. Honorees are nominated by fellow employees and selected by a dedicated committee that works to ensure a variety of roles and regions are honored. 

To hear more from Faivre, make sure to connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn. And stay tuned for more career tips and tools for success from our next salesforce.com Woman of the Month, coming your way in October.

Ready to find your #dreamjob at salesforce.com? Visit salesforce.com/careers or click the button below.