HistorianOdds of Getting In

Here’s the hard part. Historians who secure employment stay at the university, government agency, historical society or museum for a long time. Historians aren’t exactly like fry cooks. Fry cooks are like the highwaymen of the restaurant industry, darting into this restaurant for a quick paycheck, and then onto the next gig.

Like other careers, it helps to network. In fact, you can network your brains out by joining an association, society or organization. Groups like the American Historical Association, American Historical Association, the Association of Pubic Historians of New York or American Association for State and Local History. Members at these organizations benefit from attending meetings, networking with other members, and obtaining access to job boards and grant directories. The more people you know, the better chance you have of securing a job.