Historians

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such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

• Edit historical society publications.

• Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.

• Interview people in order to gather information about historical events, and to record oral histories.

• Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies.

• Translate or request translation of reference materials.

• Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period.

• Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.

• Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as use in CD-ROMs or Internet sites.

• Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.

• Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.

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Job Zone

• Name: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

• Experience: 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.

• Education: A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also 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).

• Job training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

• Examples: These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Svp range: (8.0 and above)

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Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• History and Archeology
  Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

• 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.

• Administration and Management
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

• 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.

• 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.

• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

• 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.

• Personnel and Human Resources
  Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

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Skills

Browse Skills

• Reading Comprehension
  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• 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.

• Critical Thinking
  Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Active Learning
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Time Management
  Managing one's own time and the time of others.

• Instructing
  Teaching others how to do something.

• Social Perceptiveness
  Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

• Judgment and Decision Making
  Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities

• Written Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

• Oral Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• Oral Comprehension
  The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Written Comprehension
  The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• 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.

• Inductive Reasoning
  The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

• Deductive Reasoning
  The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• Category Flexibility
  The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

• Speech Recognition
  The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

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Work Activities

Browse Work Activities

• Getting Information
  Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

• 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.

• Processing Information
  Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

• Analyzing Data or Information
  Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others
  Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

• Documenting/Recording Information
  Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
  Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

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Work Context

• Electronic Mail
  How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Face-to-Face Discussions
  How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

• Telephone
  How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

• Structured versus Unstructured Work
  To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

• Contact With Others
  How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

• Work With Work Group or Team
  How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

• Coordinate or Lead Others
  How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?

• Deal With External Customers
  How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

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Interests

Browse Interests

• Investigative
  Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

• Artistic
  Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Social
  Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

• Conventional
  Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

• Enterprising
  Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

• Realistic
  Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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Work Styles

• Integrity
  Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Dependability
  Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Persistence
  Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

• Attention to Detail
  Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

• Cooperation
  Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

• Self Control
  Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

• Achievement/Effort
  Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

• Initiative
  Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

• Concern for Others
  Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

• 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.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values

• Autonomy
  Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

• Working Conditions
  Workers on this job have good working conditions.

• Achievement
  Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

• Independence-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

• Achievement-Mean Extent
  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.

• Ability Utilization
  Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

• Responsibility
  Workers on this job make decisions on their own.

• Independence
  Workers on this job do their work alone.

• Recognition
  Workers on this job receive recognition for the work they do.

• Creativity
  Workers on this job try out their own ideas.

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