Career Workshop: “From Literature to Corporate Communications - The Journey of Shifting Stories”
On August 14, 2025, ULAB’s Department of English and Humanities (DEH) hosted a career workshop titled “From Literature to Corporate Communications – The Journey of Shifting Stories.” The session was facilitated by Ms. Tasfia Ahmed, Communications Architect at Renata PLC, and DEH alumna from batch 191. Carefully designed around Ms. Ahmed’s professional journey and insights, the one-hour workshop offered aspiring students valuable lessons on navigating the transition from academia to the corporate world.
Opening with the quote, “We are all stories in the end,” Ms. Ahmed shared her path from being a science student passionate about literature to becoming a literature graduate and eventually a corporate professional. She recalled her formative years at ULAB, particularly her experience in the course “Introduction to Literary Genres” with Ms. Nadia Rahman, where she developed a deeper appreciation for literature. Her poems, five of which were published in Six Seasons Review, and her participation in seminars and extracurricular activities further shaped her confidence and creativity. She emphasized that literature teaches one to “unlearn and learn again,” fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. She urged students to step outside rigid boundaries, explore diverse opportunities, and embrace both successes and failures as valuable lessons.
Reflecting on her corporate journey, Ms. Ahmed described her entry into Fintech despite lacking prior financial expertise. She adapted by leveraging her literature background to craft compelling narratives tailored to the industry, especially for international clients. Rigorous training and immersion in industry-specific jargon enabled her to succeed. At Renata PLC, she advanced as a Communications Architect, pioneering corporate podcasts in the pharmaceutical sector. She highlighted the importance of developing irreplaceable skills and adopting a balanced approach to communication that considers diverse audiences.
Ms. Ahmed advised students to strengthen their portfolios, attend workshops, and engage in academic and professional writing. She emphasized the importance of researching industries, companies, and HR leadership before interviews to project confidence and credibility. An updated LinkedIn profile, she noted, is essential for building networks. She further encouraged mastering industry language, recognizing personal strengths and weaknesses, and identifying role models. Her discussion also touched on workplace hierarchies, etiquette, and appropriate forms of address based on designation, underscoring professionalism as a cornerstone of career growth.
She explored the idea of “turning literature into communication superpowers,” drawing parallels between storytelling and branding, persuasive writing and marketing, and audience analysis and market research. Such cross-disciplinary connections, she argued, open creative and effective pathways for communication in professional settings.
In her concluding remarks, Ms. Ahmed emphasized the importance of staying relevant by reading widely, attending workshops and webinars, networking consistently, and experimenting with formats. She described careers as stories in which one’s degree serves as a toolkit for adaptability and resilience. Her own trajectory from literature to corporate communications stands as proof that literature graduates can thrive in diverse professional fields, equipped with transferable skills and lifelong learning. Ending with the words, “After all, we are all stories waiting to be told,” she left the audience inspired.
The workshop concluded with Ms. Arifa Ghani Rahman, Head and Associate Professor of DEH, presenting a token of appreciation to Ms. Ahmed, followed by a group photograph.
Report by Mahdi Tanisha Mahmud (243013040)
