< Back to Resources for History Graduate Students
Preparing for the Job Market
- Job Market Overview
- Academic Jobs
- Interviewing
- Public History Jobs
- Secondary Education Jobs
- Foreign Jobs
- AHA Best Practices on Spousal/Partner Hiring
- Further Information on Spousal Hiring Policies
Job Market Overview
Careers for Students of History - AHA publication that is a must read for any prospective student interested in pursuing a career in history. This pamphlet discusses the numerous career possibilities, and includes interviews with prominent historians in all fields of history, ranging from academic and publishing, to public and consulting.
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Perspectives on History articles - For updates on the history job market, see Robert Townsend's articles in Perspectives on History.
- The Parlous Paths of the Profession by Anthony Grafton and Robert B. Townsend ( September, 2008)
- No More Plan B: A Very Modest Proposal for Graduate Programs in History by Anthony T. Grafton and Jim Grossman (October 2011)
- Plan C by Anthony T. Grafton and Jim Grossman (November 2011)
- Mapping the Contours of the History Profession: Three Perspectives by Jim Grossman, Robert Townsend, Edward Balleisen, and Alexandra Lord (December 2011)
Academic Job Market
- Applying for a Job at a Liberal Arts College By David Allen Harvey (Perspectives, Sept. 2003)
- How to Apply for a Position at a Small College by Samuel Huston Goodfellow (February, 2010)
- Teaching at a Community College: Some Personal Observations by John H. Ball (April, 2010)
- Job Market Etiquette by Katharine Hijar (December 2010)
- Another Word on Job-Market Etiquette by Dana Polanichka (December, 2011)
- A Day in the Life of a Community College Professor by Natalie Kimbrough (December, 2011)
CVs, Cover Letters, Teaching Portfolios
- The Convincing Cover Letter by Steve Hochstadt (Perspectives, Sept. 2003)
- The Paper Presentation and the First Cut by David Quigley (Jan. 2008)
- Cover Letters and C.V.'s for History Job Seekers by Carl Ashley (Perspectives, Dec. 2004)
- Going on the Job Market? Some Dos and Don'ts for an Effective C.V. and Cover Letter by Laura York (Perspectives, March 2006)
- Preparing the Teaching Portfolio by Betty A. Dessants (Perspectives, Sept. 2003)
Interviewing in the Academic Job Market
- Top Ten Job Center Tips for Candidates and Search Committees by Liz Townsend (2012 Supplement to the Annual Meeting)
- Telephone and Video Interviews for Academic Hiring: Some Guidelines AHA Professional Division (March 2011)
- Advice on Surviving the Job Register: A Guide for the Bemused and Befuddled by Richard E. Bond (Perspectives Annual Meeting Supplement, Dec. 2004)
- American Historical Association's Job Center: A How-To Guide for First-Time Users
- Reflections on Interviewing by Richard E. Bond (Perspectives Annual Meeting Supplement, Dec. 2004)
- Preparing for AHA & Phone Interviews (PDF) by Leisa Meyer & Questions for AHA Interviews (PDF)
- Interviewing Strategies: Survival at Interviews by Melanie Gustafson (Perspectives, Dec. 2002)
- The Campus Visit by Sally Hadden
- The Art of the Job Talk by Marilynn S. Johnson
Public History Job Market
- Beyond Academe - website to educate historians about opportunities outside of academia.
- Careers in Public History
- Public History Employers—What Do They Want? by Philip M. Katz (Perspectives, Sept. 2003)
- The View from Outside the Ivory Tower by Alexandra Lord (Perspectives, Jan. 2005)
- Practical Advice on Getting a Public History Job by Debbie Ann Doyle (Perspectives, April 2006)
- Doing History in Exhibit Halls: The History PhD and a Museum Career by Louise Pubols (Perspectives, Feb. 2004)
- Looking for a Federal Job? Some Practical Advice by Art Gómez (Perspectives, May 2006)
- A Picture of Public History, Preliminary Results from the 2008 Survey of Public History Professionals by John Dichtl and Robert B. Townsend (September, 2009)
Secondary Education
- Are You Thinking of a Career in Secondary Schools? A Supervisor's Perspective on Which Candidate to Hire by John Pyne
- An Option Worth Pursuing: Teaching Opportunities for History Graduate Students in the Secondary Schools by Ron Briley
- Teaching History in Independent Schools by Darcy R. Fryer
Foreign Jobs
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Thinking of Moving Abroad? How to Begin Applying for Foreign Jobs By Brett Bennett (April, 2010)
Negotiating an Offer
- The Job Offer (PDF) by Edward Muir
Last Updated: March 21, 2012 12:23 PM
