What does a Historian do?

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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters. Day to day that includes work like conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts and Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.

What skills should a Historian put on a resume?

O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, and Speaking among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.

What software should a Historian list?

Software recorded for this occupation includes Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Archival databases. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.

What other job titles cover Historian work?

O*NET records 27 titles for this occupation, including Historic Sites Registrar, Research Associate, Researcher, and County Historian. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

What qualifications does a Historian need?

In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 24% reported their level of education as "Master's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

Will this resume pass an ATS for a Historian role?

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Historian resume example

A resume for a Historian needs to show the work itself: 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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters. Day to day that means work like this: conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts; gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.

Also advertised as

The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

Historic Sites Registrar
Research Associate
Researcher
County Historian
County Records Management Officer
County RMO
Historic Interpreter
Historical Interpreter
PI Historian
Dance Historian
Dramatic Arts Historian
Field Court Researcher
Film Historian
Genealogist
Genealogist Researcher
Health Historian
Historian Developer
Historic Preservationist

O*NET records 27 titles for this occupation in total.

What this work actually involves

Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.

Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.
Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.
Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies.
Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period.

21 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.

Example bullets for this role

Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.

Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].

Software used in this role

Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.

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

47 software entries are recorded in total.

Tools and equipment

The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.

Analog-to-digital converters
Computer inkjet printers
Computer laser printers
Data input scanners
Digital audio recorders
Digital still cameras
Laptop computers
Microfiche readers
Microfilm readers
Microphones
Personal computers
Photocopying equipment

Skills an ATS reads for

Worth naming only if they are genuinely yours. Keyword overlap is one input to a resume's score, not a verdict.

ESRI ArcGIS
Geographic information system GIS systems

What this job rates as most important

O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.

01Reading Comprehension
02Critical Thinking
03Active Listening
04Writing
05Speaking
06Active Learning
07Social Perceptiveness
08Instructing
09Complex Problem Solving
10Judgment and Decision Making

Knowledge areas

The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.

History and Archeology
English Language
Customer and Personal Service
Administrative
Geography
Education and Training
Sociology and Anthropology
Communications and Media

What qualifications people in this job have

From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

24%Master's Degree
20%Bachelor's Degree
18%Some College Courses

What level this role is pitched at

O*NET places this occupation in “Extensive Preparation Needed”. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Common questions

What does a Historian do?: 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. Day to day that includes work like conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts and Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
What skills should a Historian put on a resume?: O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, and Speaking among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
What software should a Historian list?: Software recorded for this occupation includes Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Archival databases. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
What other job titles cover Historian work?: O*NET records 27 titles for this occupation, including Historic Sites Registrar, Research Associate, Researcher, and County Historian. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
What qualifications does a Historian need?: In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 24% reported their level of education as "Master's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
Will this resume pass an ATS for a Historian role?: No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Related roles

Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.

What this page cannot tell you

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.

If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.

Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.