Sally White
Senior Software Engineer
Oracle
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Completed high school and college.
Worked full-time and always tried to do my job well.
Looked for more interesting jobs with the same employer, and volunteered for bigger challenges.
Had a wonderful mentor, who recognized my abilities to advance into programming.
Returned to college for one year, to take computer programmer-related courses.
Took an entry-level data entry job, leading to computer operations, which led into programming.
Asked for more challenging projects when my work became too easy. I never took my jobs for granted.
Education
High School
Walt Whitman, Bethesda, MD
Walt Whitman, Bethesda, MD
Career
Senior Software Engineer
I fix, modify, enhance, or create software.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Technology
Business
Problem Solving
Day to Day
I work from home full-time. I sit at my computer, and work on assigned projects. I have a wide variety of work. I communicate with my manager and co-workers primarily by email. Working on software allows me to use my brain to devise solutions to stated problems or to add function to existing programs.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for professionals
No matter what your job, always do it well. It may be boring, but there are usually opportunities to learn something and / or move into another area with the same employer. Pay attention to others! I volunteered for challenging opportunities that arose, and that trait allowed me to advance until I found a job that suits me well. I've been doing much the same thing for 30 years, but I am never bored. I did not want to climb the ladder into management, it's a different job altogether.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Parents:
"My Dad said: 'Why should I pay for college? You'll end up getting married and raising children.'"
Challenges I Overcame
None
