'CAREER ToolKit' nurtures tomorrow's professionals through workshops and mock interviews

In a bid to empower its students with the essential skills and insights needed for success in the corporate realm, East West University recently hosted a series of transformative events titled, 'Career ToolKit' from November 14 to December 09. A dynamic series of workshops, culminating in expert-led mock interviews, provided around 200 enthusiastic participants with a comprehensive understanding of corporate etiquette, resume crafting, LinkedIn optimisation, emotional intelligence, business communication, and interview grooming.

Commencing with 'Workshop 1: Corporate Etiquettes' held on November 14 led by Don Ghulam Sumdany Don, chief inspirational officer at Don Sumdany Facilitation & Consultancy, students delved into the intricacies of professional behaviours pivotal for corporate success. This session provided an exceptional opportunity for individuals unfamiliar with career etiquette, emphasising its significance in interviews where it mirrors professionalism and profoundly influences job prospects. Following this, on November 18, 'Workshop 2: Building CV & Cover Letter' convened, featuring Ahsan Habib, assistant manager at BYLC, and Syeda Sameah Absar, senior executive at PDT, BYLC, as facilitators. The emphasis was on the paramount importance of a meticulously crafted resume as the first impression for prospective employers, setting the stage for a successful interview. Attendees received guidance on crafting a professional resume tailored for their first job, learning crucial criteria for resume writing, and the art of aligning experiences and skills with job descriptions. Ahsan Habib and Syeda Sameah Absar emphasised the need for relevant content, action verbs, quantifiable achievements, and customisation tailored to the job role, steering clear of personal pronouns and generic templates to ensure a concise and impactful resume.

On November 21 'Workshop 3: LinkedIn Optimisation,' participants were led through the intricacies of creating a professional LinkedIn profile acceptable to employers, courtesy of Khan Farhana, the founder of Farhana's Brainstation. This session, designed for engaging audiences, delved into the nuances of managing and maintaining a LinkedIn account professionally. Khan Farhana elucidated the significance of a professional profile picture, catchy headlines, regular activity postings, writing expertise-sharing articles, and utilising various tools to enhance connections and job prospects through LinkedIn.

Continuing the enlightening series, 'Workshop 4: Emotional Intelligence' took the stage on November 25, conducted by Md. Sazzad Ali, learning and development and PMS Lead from Green Delta Insurance. This session expounded on the importance of recognising, utilising, and regulating one's emotions in the workplace, fostering a healthy work environment, communication enhancement, and relationship building. Attendees were urged to engage in self-awareness, active listening, efficient communication, and expressing feelings, acknowledging that emotional intelligence is a vital skill in corporate professions.

Subsequently, on December 01 'Workshop 5: Business Communication' was helmed by Nazrana Yusuf, head of internal communications at Grameenphone. She shared insights into creating compelling content by identifying purpose, audience, and building engaging stories. Communication mediums including email, social media, presentations, press releases, SMS/OTT, AV, articles, and speech interviews were meticulously explored, enabling participants to grasp the subtleties of effective communication, and elevating their communication strategies and resources.

The penultimate workshop, 'Workshop 6: Interview Grooming', held on December 02, was facilitated by Md Nowrose Farhan Chowdhury Ninad, manager of Talent Acquisition in the Human Resource Department at bKash. Ninad shed light on the importance of grooming for interviews, emphasising body language, grooming standards, and dress codes, stressing the significance of a poised and confident appearance in creating a lasting impression on prospective employers. Culminating this insightful series was a pivotal 'Mock Interview' session held on December 09 conducted by experts from various firms. Md. Touhidur Rahman Miad, senior manager, Operations at LankaBangla Securities Ltd., Orindom Chowdhury, territory manager at Unilever Bangladesh Limited, Safiqur Rahman, assistant manager, Finance & Accounts Division at bKash Limited, Md. Rahadul Islam, treasury analyst at ACI Limited, and Mazedur Rahman from People & Organisation Division Grameenphone Ltd. They shared their work experiences and divulged the intricacies of the hiring process, enriching participants with trade secrets and updated resume techniques.

Overall, this comprehensive series of workshops and the subsequent mock interview provided students with a holistic understanding of what's to come in professional life. One of the participants named Mehzuba said, "I felt really lost in the beginning level of my education. Even in my last days in university, I wasn't even ready for a job. Thankfully the workshops and mock interview helped me to shape my professional factors and increase my confidence." Such an immersive experience should be organised more often by universities to equip participants with the essential skills, professionalism, and knowledge imperative for their future endeavours in the corporate world.

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