What are the steps to creating a personalized historical research career path?

2 Pursue relevant education

The second step to creating a personalized historical research career path is to pursue relevant education. Depending on your passion and goals, you might need a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in history or a related discipline. You might also need to learn additional skills, such as languages, statistics, digital tools, or pedagogy. You should look for programs that offer courses, mentors, and resources that align with your interests and aspirations. You should also seek opportunities to gain practical experience, such as internships, fellowships, or assistantships.

3 Build your network

The third step to creating a personalized historical research career path is to build your network. Networking is essential for finding mentors, collaborators, sponsors, and employers in the historical research field. You can build your network by attending conferences, workshops, seminars, or webinars, joining professional associations, societies, or groups, publishing your work in journals, books, or blogs, or engaging with peers, experts, or audiences on social media, forums, or podcasts. You should also maintain and nurture your existing relationships, such as professors, colleagues, friends, or alumni.

4 Showcase your portfolio

The fourth step to creating a personalized historical research career path is to showcase your portfolio. Your portfolio is a collection of your work and achievements that demonstrates your skills, knowledge, and value as a historical researcher. You should create a portfolio that highlights your best and most relevant projects, publications, presentations, awards, or testimonials. You should also update and refine your portfolio regularly, as well as tailor it to different audiences and purposes. You can showcase your portfolio on your website, blog, LinkedIn, or other platforms.

5 Explore your options

The fifth step to creating a personalized historical research career path is to explore your options. Historical research can lead to various careers and opportunities in different sectors and settings. You should research and evaluate the pros and cons of different options, such as teaching, curating, archiving, writing, editing, consulting, or policymaking. You should also consider factors such as income, location, flexibility, growth, impact, and satisfaction. You should be open-minded and adaptable, as well as willing to try new things and learn from feedback.

6 Plan your next steps

The sixth and final step to creating a personalized historical research career path is to plan your next steps. Once you have identified your passion, pursued relevant education, built your network, showcased your portfolio, and explored your options, you should have a clearer idea of what you want and how to get there. However, you should also be prepared for challenges, changes, and uncertainties along the way. You should set realistic and specific goals, identify actions and resources, monitor your progress and outcomes, and revise your plan as needed.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?