DEH Student Workshop: Job Hunting and Networking
On August 3, 2023, the Department of English and Humanities at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh organized a highly informative workshop titled “Job Hunting and Networking” for the outgoing students of ENG 413/498/499. The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Arifa Ghani Rahman, Head and Associate Professor at the Department of English and Humanities (DEH). Its primary objectives were to equip students with insights into the effective job market approaches and to develop powerful networking skills.
To begin with, Ms. Rahman emphasized the importance of becoming self-aware before selecting a field within the large job market. Following this, she stressed that being open-minded and wisely utilizing available opportunities may lead one to better prospects. Additionally, she discussed the importance of considering one's own interests, the required skill set, and their ultimate career goals when searching for such opportunities.
Ms. Rahman next suggested that, in the step of job hunting, students should explore their strengths and weaknesses first. Furthermore, she emphasized on the importance of having an updated CV with a professional email account and a formal passport-size photo in order to develop networking and connect with like-minded individuals in their field of interest or professional industry through different sites such as LinkedIn, BDjobs, etc. Moreover, she provided tips on how to build a professional profile, highlighting accomplishments and customizing it to capture a person's personality. As for practical experience and portable skills, Ms. Rahman advised the students to look for volunteering opportunities in their community to enhance their chances of future employment.
Besides this, Ms. Rahman provided more insights for applying for the job and interview. She recommended doing background research about the organization, checking email regularly, and doing market research to understand the salary range. Furthermore, she gave importance to creating a good impression and retaining liaisons with former employers or faculty members. Lastly, she mentioned the necessity of maintaining ethics and responding to job offers with polite emails even if the student is unable to accept it.
Ms. Rahman concluded the workshop with a question-answer session, and a reminder to the students to not underestimate the importance of experience that they might have gained through their different volunteering and extracurricular activities during their university life.
This workshop is part of a series of workshops held specifically for students in their final semester to assist them with finding employment.
Report by Sabrina Ahmed (193013088)
