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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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

How does this connect to your interests? →

A look at the work

  • Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
  • Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
  • Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
  • Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet.
  • Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
  • Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
  • Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
  • Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.

A selection of source-listed tasks; duties vary by role and employer.

Interests involved in this work

These source scores describe occupational work activities. They are separate from your personal test results.

Hands-on

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.4 / 7

Investigative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

5.3 / 7

Creative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

3.7 / 7

Helping people

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

3.2 / 7

Enterprising

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.4 / 7

Organizing

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

4.9 / 7

Skills to explore

Source-reported importance on a 1–5 scale. Try a course, project or conversation to learn what these skills involve.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

2025-08

4.8 / 5

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

2025-08

4.1 / 5

Critical Thinking

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

2025-08

4.1 / 5

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.

2025-08

4.0 / 5

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

2025-08

4.0 / 5

Active Learning

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

2025-08

4.0 / 5

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

2025-08

3.4 / 5

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

2025-08

3.3 / 5

Social Perceptiveness

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

2025-08

3.1 / 5

Instructing

Teaching others how to do something.

2025-08

3.1 / 5

Plan a small next step

Talk to someone doing this work, look for a supervised activity, and explore the subjects that interest you. Admission, licensing and current program requirements should be confirmed with the relevant institutions.

Source preparation category: Job Zone 5 of 5 · 2025-08. This category describes typical preparation, not your eligibility.

Related study fields

Source crosswalk connections are research leads, not required qualifications.

Architectural History and Criticism, General →

Architectural Conservation →

Historic Preservation and Conservation, General →

Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis →

Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other →

Medieval and Renaissance Studies →

Holocaust and Related Studies →

Ancient Studies/Civilization →

Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology →

Classical and Ancient Studies, Other →

Maritime Studies →

History and Language/Literature →

Explore all related study fields →

Source & methodology

O*NET-SOC code 19-3093.00 · Database 31.0 · Retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Dates on individual observations describe their source periods.

How interest exploration matching works →

Data: O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. StudyIndex normalizes the presentation and adds exploration features; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions.