Charlotte graduated from the University of St Andrews with an undergraduate degree in Classical Studies and English in 2010, before completing a Masters in English Literature, focusing on the Renaissance, at the University of Sheffield in 2012.
Why did you choose to study English at university?
I’ve always loved books and literature. Growing up, I always had my nose in a book. I felt pursuing a degree I was interested in would mean I would achieve good grades rather than taking a degree in Physics or similar that I didn’t enjoy (which my science teacher suggested I do). University for me was about becoming an adult and learning how to think about concepts and to express myself. Also coming from a state school, it meant I would be able to study more of the so-called English literature canon, particularly Middle and Early Modern English (though I’m very grateful for reading twentieth-century works William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, Iain Banks’ The Wasp Factory, and Edward Bond’s Saved at A-Level).
What did you do after university? What is your current job?
After university, I secured a job as a Trainee (Qualitative) Market Researcher at a boutique market research agency in Sheffield via a graduate recruitment day. I have gone through a few career evolutions, and have travelled the world as a consequence of my English degrees – conducting research in Shanghai (China), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Boston (USA), Dubai (UAE), Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane (Australia), Baghdad/Mosul, and Erbil/Duhok/Sulaimaniyah (Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq). I am now a Consultant Researcher and Analyst working in the international development and social research sectors, mainly focused on Iraq and the wider Middle East, as well as primary qualitative research in the UK.
What skills did studying English develop (both academically but also in terms of life more generally)?
Studying English developed and honed my analytical skills, particularly thinking about how people create (and embody) meaning, and what narratives and perceptions about the world mean for client’s projects – be they commercial, international development bodies, or domestic and international governments. Studying English also taught me to think about how I use language and presence to communicate my place in the world, particularly as a woman in professional settings.
Did studying English prepare you for your career? If so, how?
Learning to analyse and write about texts and subtexts, as well as understanding the importance of context (i.e. historical, geographic, political etc.), has been utterly invaluable in my career. I am a researcher and analyst, so my job is to uncover insights about people and places, then communicate those insights and nuances – all this has enabled me to thrive in my career. Understanding context and subtexts is also invaluable for recognising the role of bias, including my own, in my day-to-day work; this enables me to acknowledge it and any potential impact on the work I produce as well as how clients could respond to biases. I also spend a lot of my time writing and/or editing reports and other documents, so learning to write and argue clearly means I have a skills edge over many of my peers who come from other disciplines.
Is there anything else that you’d like to tell us about studying English?
Studying English opens doors, rather than closes them. Literature and language are key components of all cultures, and so it means myriad possibilities are open after an English course because we learn to consider and analyse humans, cultures and society; from teaching to business to diplomacy and beyond, English reminds us to remember the people who are impacted by our work and our words.