Historians

Also known as: Architectural Historian, Collections Specialist, County Historian (+25 more)

Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

🎓 Experience Level 5 (Extensive preparation needed) 📈 Education; Healthcare & Human Services

See How This Role Fits You →

Take the free 15-minute assessment to compare this role with your profile, your current fit, and nearby alternatives

← Previous in cluster: Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Next in cluster: History Teachers, Postsecondary →

What You'll Do

Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools.
Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies.
Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.

Essential Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.75/5

Writing 4.12/5

Critical Thinking 4.12/5

Active Listening 4.0/5

Speaking 4.0/5

Active Learning 4.0/5

Complex Problem Solving 3.38/5

Learning Strategies 3.25/5

Social Perceptiveness 3.12/5

Instructing 3.12/5

Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5

Monitoring 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
Artist: Creating original work and expressing ideas feels natural.

Common styles

Intellectual Curiosity, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Dependability, Achievement Orientation

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Take Free 15 Min Assessment →

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Written Comprehension 4.88/5

Written Expression 4.25/5

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5

Oral Expression 4.0/5

Near Vision 4.0/5

Inductive Reasoning 3.88/5

Deductive Reasoning 3.75/5

Speech Clarity 3.75/5

Technologies & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Adobe Dreamweaver Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Archival databases ArchiveGrid Archives Wiki Audio editing software Corel WordPerfect Office Suite Database management systems Digital image collections Digital mapping software Email software ESRI ArcGIS software Extensible markup language XML Geographic information system GIS software Geographic information system GIS systems Google Books NGram Viewer Gutenberg-e IBM SPSS Statistics

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

Intellectual Curiosity (High importance: 5.0/5)
Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.69/5)
Integrity (High importance: 4.4/5)
Dependability (High importance: 4.37/5)
Achievement Orientation (High importance: 4.3/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

This career requires extensive preparation, typically including a graduate degree (Master's or Doctoral) and several years of experience. Most professionals in this field have invested significant time in education and training.

Similar Careers to Explore

Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Architectural Historian Collections Specialist County Historian Dance Historian Dramatic Arts Historian Field Court Researcher Film Historian Genealogist Genealogist Researcher Health Historian Historian Historian Developer Historic Architectural Resources Curator Historic Interpreter Historic Preservation Coordinator Historic Preservationist Historic Sites Registrar Historical Interpreter Historiographer Medical Historian Medication Historian Music Historian Oral Historian Process Information Historian (PI Historian) Protohistorian Research Associate Research Historian Researcher

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.

Ready to Compare This Career to Your Profile?

Use the assessment to compare your current role, inspect nearby options, and see whether this career is a stronger fit for how you work.

Take Free Assessment (15 min) →