skip to main content
Sally White

Sally White

Oracle

Career Roadmap

Sally's work combines: Technology, Business, and Problem Solving

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Senior Software Engineer

I fix, modify, enhance, or create software.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    Walt Whitman, Bethesda, MD

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Molecular Biology

    University of Colorado, Boulder

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Computer Programmers:

High School

Bachelor's Degree: Molecular Biology

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    Completed high school and college.

  • 2.

    Worked full-time and always tried to do my job well.

  • 3.

    Looked for more interesting jobs with the same employer, and volunteered for bigger challenges.

  • 4.

    Had a wonderful mentor, who recognized my abilities to advance into programming.

  • 5.

    Returned to college for one year, to take computer programmer-related courses.

  • 6.

    Took an entry-level data entry job, leading to computer operations, which led into programming.

  • 7.

    Asked for more challenging projects when my work became too easy. I never took my jobs for granted.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Parents:

    My Dad said: 'Why should I pay for college? You'll end up getting married and raising children.'

  • How I responded:

    I wanted to take a year off after high school. My Dad said he wouldn't pay for college if I did that. So, I went right to college. While my degree has nothing to do with my lifelong career, I do believe a college degree gave me job opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. It also opened my eyes to the Western U.S., where I have lived ever since I first saw it.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I have never felt like a victim. We all have challenges, don't dwell on them.