How a JSU graduate landed a job with one of the largest software companies in the world

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The high of graduating from college only lasts until it’s met with the reality of job-hunting, but not for Dailyn Hereford.

The 23-year-old graduated from Jackson State University on December 9 and is still riding that wave while also working full-time for Oracle, one of the world’s largest software companies.

“I’m super excited!” Dailyn Hereford smiled.

The business graduate is the youngest female digital marketing specialist for the company’s global campaigns.

Her job is to share Oracle’s story across all online platforms, such as the company website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube – and she works virtually.

The typical Oracle digital marketing specialist salary is $104,994 annually, according to glassdoor.com.

So, how did she do it? By taking advantage of opportunities.

Do you know the uber-creative kid who makes all things big? Well, that’s Dailyn.

“My parents would tell you; I would be setting up little shops in my house,” she said innocently. “Around age 8, I really wanted to open a juice bar. I had all these creative names or personas for drinks, and I would tell my parents how I would spread the word on social media.”

And that was before the popularity of Youtube and before Dailyn knew that a digital marketing specialist existed. Fast forward to high school – the University of West Alabama recruited the Alabama native and volleyball star where she played her Freshman year. Her first year didn’t go as planned, but she toured JSU’s College of Business one day and immediately fell in love.

“I just said right then and there to the tour guide and my mom, ‘This is where I want to be! The is where I want to go to school, and this is where I want to thrive!’” Dailyn exclaimed.

She described an unmistakable sense of pride and culture she felt.

“People were walking around with their head held high like they had a purpose and a motivation to just succeed. And that’s what I wanted for my path and my career,” she said with confidence.

Dailyn began going after hundreds of internships.

“I applied for everything – so many I didn’t even remember the name of all of them. Oracle was one of only two responses I got back,” she said.

She was selected to be a part of the United Negro College Fund Corporate Scholars Program, a partnership between the software company and UNCF, recruiting minorities students to internships.

“I got selected after the first round of interviews, and it just went from there,” Dailyn smiled.

She received a $10,000 scholarship for the year plus a paid internship. Hard work and determination paid off, and Oracle invited her to return as an intern the following year.

“My first summer, I came on as a global sales enablement team. I got to work with a little bit of web design and a lot of content management. I’m well versed in building out web pages now because of that role. The next summer, I transitioned to a product marketing intern, focusing more on the product side.”

Now, her creativity is at the forefront as a digital marketing specialist, but she’s still taking advantage of opportunities – for others.

“I’ve been working with our diversity ambassador team at Oracle to get more students in internships because I want to see more Tigers at Oracle and see us excel!”

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