Historian
Other Titles
County Historian, County Records Management Officer, Historic Interpreter, Historic Sites Registrar, Historical Interpreter, Programs Director, Research Associate, Researcher
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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
Historians are responsible for studying and analysing various aspects and periods of human history. They consult historical as well as contemporary sources such as old manuscripts, artifacts from past periods, archived materials, history books and letters. In this role, they conduct research to seek answers to specific historical questions or focus on a particular historical topic. During the course of the research, they study various sources to obtain the facts and then interpret these facts. A part of their job is to prepare reports, research papers and manuscripts, and present findings related to their research.
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 collect data sources such as 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.
Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as use in CD-ROMs or Internet sites.
Interview people to gather information about historical events and to record oral histories.
Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies.
Edit historical society publications.
Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials.
Translate or request translation of reference materials.
Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools.
Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Instructing→ Teaching others how to do something.
Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Learning Strategies→ Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Prepare materials for preservation, storage, or display.
Collect archival data.
Conduct historical research.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Collect information from people through observation, interviews, or surveys.
Instruct college students in social sciences or humanities disciplines.
Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Originality→ The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
History and Archeology→ Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Clerical→ Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Geography→ Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Sociology and Anthropology→ Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Communications and Media→ Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Analytical or scientific software -- Statistical analysis software; IBM SPSS Statistics
Database management system software -- Database management systems
Database user interface and query software -- Reference management software; Structured query language SQL; Gutenberg-e
Data mining software -- Text mining software; Wolfram Mathematica
Desktop publishing software -- e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign; QuarkXPress; Microsoft Publisher; Scribus
Document management software — Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat; Web Scrapbook
Electronic mail software -- e.g., Microsoft Outlook; Google Gmail
Enterprise application integration software -- e.g., Extensible markup language XML
Graphics or photo imaging software -- e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
Information retrieval or search software -- e.g., Archival databases; ArchiveGrid; Searchable online catalogs; Archives Wiki; National Archives online databases; Digital image collections; Google Books NGram Viewer; Smithsonian Institution digital archives;
Internet browser software -- e.g., Windows Explorer; Google Chrome; Apple Safari; Mozilla Firefox
Map creation software -- Digital mapping software; Geographic information system GIS software; Orbital Africa; ESRI ArcGIS software; Maptitude Mapping Software
Music or sound editing software -- Audio editing software
Office suite software -- e.g., Microsoft Office
Optical character reader OCR or scanning software -- Scanning software
Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Microsoft Excel
Web page creation and editing software -- Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
Word processing software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect; Microsoft Word
Assistive listening devices→ Analog-to-digital converters
Digital cameras→ Digital still cameras
Digital voice recorders→ Digital audio recorders
Inkjet printers→ Computer inkjet printers
Laser printers→ Computer laser printers
Microfiche or microfilm viewers→ Microfiche readers; Microfilm readers
Microphones
Notebook computers→ Laptop computers
Personal computers
Photocopiers→ Photocopying equipment
Scanners→ Data input scanners
Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Achievement→ Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.