Technical support: woman on top Andrea R. Gooden

WOMAN ON TOP ANDREA R. GOODEN

What she does: "I manage programs that comprise Sun Microsystems' global-giving initiative, which focuses on providing access to technology--from building schools in China to working toward closing the technology-access gap in Bay Area inner-city schools to helping restore communications in the distressed Gulf Coast states following Hurricane Katrina."

How she broke into corporate giving: "I was actually called in to interview for a certain position, and in interviewing the interviewer, I found out that the company had another job that interested me. Because they didn't think I fit the profile for it, I had to persuade them otherwise. I pointed out to them that they had great programs supporting equity and access, but they also changed the guidelines every year. I asked why they did that. They said, 'Because things change.' I said, 'That's the problem. Things don't change, and as program managers move from what's in vogue today to what's in vogue tomorrow, we are creating an even greater gap.' So that comment turned the interview into a kind of strategy session that landed me the job."

Her advice for landing the job you want: "Before you go into an interview, you should know enough about the company to have a clear vision of how you can add value. When you are in the actual interview, you have to present to them not just what they're looking for, but also some things they may not realize they're looking for until you present it to them."

Her strategy for career success: "It's integrity that makes the difference. When you see something wrong, you fix it--and not just by yourself. You link up with others, finding those other pebbles so that when tossed in a pond together, you magnify your ripple effect."

Name: Andrea R. Gooden

Age: 56

Title: Executive director of Sun Microsystems Foundation and manager of Global Community Affairs, Sun Microsystems, Inc., Santa Clara, California

Education: B.A. in speech communications and M.S. in broadcast communications from San Francisco State University

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