American Historical Association

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Preparing for the Job Market

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.
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

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