History Career Insight by LJMUCareers

History CAREER INSIGHT

LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk

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Career Insight: History

Introduction Traditionally you may link a history graduate with someone who works in a museum, archive, library or the world of heritage. However employers from every area of industry value todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history graduates. Graduates from this course will leave with the ability to analyse and manage large quantities of information, communicate effectively, research in groups or independently and write in a concise and informative fashion. All of these skills are valued highly by todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employers. Career sectors could include the information, education, public, voluntary or charity work. However, you are by no means restricted to these areas and could use your skills, interests and work experience to enter careers in a variety of other sectors, including research, retail, consultancy, law, or accountancy. Many graduate roles are open to candidates from any degree background or you could gain required qualifications by undertaking postgraduate study. In recent years, securing a graduate role has become increasingly competitive, so gaining relevant work or voluntary experience and engaging in extracurricular activities alongside your studies is crucial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. Being aware of the range of options open to you is important to make an informed career decision. Researching different career pathways and entry requirements is essential preparation for your graduate career, so ensure you make the most of available resources, attend career events or employer talks, and take every opportunity to network with professionals to find out as much as possible about the career areas that interest you. Look at a skill such as communication, this could be a good match for communications-based roles. Careers in advertising and public relations (PR) are suited to history graduates who have specialized in understanding how past events and trends have shaped modern society and culture, preparing them to analyse and predict the behaviour of markets and target audiences in current times. Read more about careers in marketing.

Past graduates have used their degree as a springboard for various areas of employment such as banking and commerce, publishing, information science, museum work, teaching and social work. Many also enter the business world through management training schemes operated by national companies in retailing, marketing, sales, computing, while others go into the civil service and local government. Several graduates also go on to postgraduate study in History, both at MA and PhD level. Analyse your work experience, did you spend last summer litter-picking at Glastonbury and serving strawberries at Wimbledon? However irrelevant you think your experience sounds, there is always a value in any work experience. The key is to make it sound relevant for the job you're applying for. Look back at the job again and consider the skills that a potential wold see. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? What skills did you develop? What training did you have? This is all great stuff for applications and interviews.

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Career Insight: History

The list below provides an idea of some potential careers that could be of interest to a History graduate. Museum Education Officer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/museum_education_officer_job_description.htm

Museum Curator http://www.prospects.ac.uk/museum_gallery_curator_job_description.htm

Museum Gallery Exhibitions Officer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/museum_gallery_exhibitions_officer_job_description.htm

Heritage Manager http://www.prospects.ac.uk/heritage_manager_job_description.htm

Archivist http://www.prospects.ac.uk/archivist_job_description.htm

Archaeologist http://www.prospects.ac.uk/archaeologist_job_description.htm

Primary Teacher http://www.prospects.ac.uk/primary_school_teacher_job_description.htm

Secondary School Teacher http://www.prospects.ac.uk/secondary_school_teacher_job_description.htm

Learning Mentor http://www.prospects.ac.uk/learning_mentor_job_description.htm http://www.workingwithkids.co.uk/learning-mentor.html

Teaching Post 16/FE Lecturer: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/further_education_lecturer_job_description.htm http://archive.excellencegateway.org.uk/page.aspx?o=320148

Higher Education Lecturer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/higher_education_lecturer_job_description.htm

Tour Guide www.ef.com/master/summerjobs www.acis.com/about/acis_tour_managers.cfm

Subject Librarian http://www.prospects.ac.uk/academic_librarian_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/public_librarian_job_description.htm

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Career Insight: History

Records Manager http://www.prospects.ac.uk/archivist_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/records_manager_job_description.htm

Solicitor https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/279075-solicitor-job-description A snap shot of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduates found that students from History were able to gain professional level jobs as a Business Development Executive, Trainee Manager, Pension Advisor and Police Officer. As can be seen the majority of these jobs fall outside the History sector. It may be advisable for students to consider alternative opportunities leading to professional level work as well as careers directly related to History. Many careers are open to graduates in any subject and may offer the potential to use the analytical, information and communication skills that you have gained through studying History. Your interpersonal skills, however, are likely to be even more important. Below are just a few of the employment sectors where the skills of history graduates may be particularly relevant: A range of these employment areas are listed below;

Careers in business and commerce Although open to all graduates, careers in business and commerce would suit history graduates with a particular interest and knowledge of how business and capitalism has grown and adapted throughout history, and with ideas about how these markets and systems will continue to grow. For some specialized roles, and to improve your career prospects in this area, you may consider a postgraduate degree in a related subject.

Intelligence work MI5) recruits graduates to investigate and counter threats to national security. The work involves collecting intelligence, assessing and investigating threats, disseminating intelligence and advising on protection - tasks which use many of the skills gained through studying history. https://www.mi5.gov.uk/careers/graduate-careers.aspx

Law Solicitors advise clients on legal issues, using statutes and case law to determine their relevance to their client's problem. Barristers also investigate and advise on legal issues, often the more complex ones, and present the client's case in court if necessary. There may even be an historical element to some legal research, in areas such as planning and property law.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/law_sector_getting_a_graduate_job.htm

Publishing This covers books, magazines and electronic publishing, generalist or specialist (including academic publishers). Graduates may work in editorial roles or in business roles such as production and marketing. www.prospects.ac.uk/links/PubPrint https://www.ucas.com/ucas/teacher-training http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training http://graduates.teachfirst.org.uk/

Youth and Community Work:

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Career Insight: History

Youth workers help young people reach their potential in their personal and social development. Youth workers will use educational activities, advice and support to help young people to learn about themselves and to become more confident in their community. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/youth_worker_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/community_development_worker_job_description.htm http://www.nya.org.uk/ http://www.cdf.org.uk/

Advice and Guidance Work: Advice workers look to offer impartial and confidential advice and information to their clients on a wide range of issues. Depending upon the area that a client requires support advisers cover anything from legal issues to employment, welfare and education. Guidance workers help clients clarify options and make informed choices about their future by offering information, advice and guidance on education, training and work opportunities.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/advice_worker_job_description.htm https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ http://www.adviceuk.org.uk/ http://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers_adviser_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/adult_guidance_worker_job_description.htm

Charity and voluntary sector: The charity and volunteering sector is vast cover everything from housing to social welfare. If you are considering a career in this field the first thing to think about is what work you would do, as the roles are many and can range from fundraising to marketing. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/charity_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/charity_fundraiser_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/volunteer_coordinator_job_description.htm http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/

Journalism: Journalists educate the public about events and issues and how they affect their lives. The role will involve the ability to research, write, edit, proofread and file news stories that can be used on television, radio, magazine, newspapers and on-line. Journalists write and assemble together news stories that will interest their audience.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/magazine_journalist_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/newspaper_journalist_job_description.htm http://cioj.co.uk/student-information/ http://www.nctj.com/want-to-be-a-journalist

Civil Service The civil service supports the present government to develop and deliver its policies as effectively as possible. The service is broken down into three types of organisations which are departments, agencies, and non-departmental government bodies. The functions include education, health and

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Career Insight: History

policing .The workforce includes people who deliver crucial services direct to the public across the UK, such as Jobcentre Plus staff and coastguards. The service also includes staff involved with policy development and implementation, including analysts, project managers, lawyers and economists.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/civil_service_fast_streamer_job_description.htm http://faststream.civilservice.gov.uk/the-different-streams/

Health Service The NHS is a major graduate employer in the UK and there are alternative employment options to medical based careers.There are jobs for graduates in: customer care; hospitality; sales; marketing; procurement; finance information technology, human resource management and legal services.

http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/ http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/ http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/index.html

The public sector http://www.ngdp.org.uk/ http://www.lgjobs.com/ https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-council www.faststream.gov.uk http://www.jobsgopublic.com/

Other useful websites LJMU Vacancy website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ TargetJobs – Careers information and graduate jobs http://targetjobs.co.uk/ Milkround – Graduate jobs, placements & internships http://www.milkround.com/ Vacancies in higher education and research http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ Graduate Talent Pool – Graduate internship opportunities http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/ Information about postgraduate study http://www.postgrad.com/ Royal Historical Society – information about public lectures, events, publications and grants http://www.royalhistoricalsociety.org/ Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals – information about careers in the sector, news and events http://www.cilip.org.uk/

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© 2017. Liverpool John Moores University. The content of this document is copyright material of Liverpool John Moores University. No part of this document may be reproduced or distributed without prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Career Insight: History

Museums Association http://www.museumsassociation.org/home English Heritage http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/ National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ Community Service Volunteers http://www.csv.org.uk/volunteering Vacancies in charities and the not-for-profit sector http://www.charityjob.co.uk/ News and careers advice for ethical careers http://www.ethicalcareers.org/ Graduate Management Programme in the not-for-profit sector http://www.charity-works.co.uk/graduate-management-programme/ NHS graduate training scheme http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/ Civil Service Fast Stream http://faststream.civilservice.gov.uk/ Guardian jobs http://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/arts-and-heritage/ Archives & Records Association -

http://www.archives.org.uk/careers/careers.html Yellow Pages -

http://www.yell.com/ ALEC.CO.UK -

http://www.alec.co.uk/free-career-assessment/careers-with-a-history-degree-or-history-major.htm

Follow relevant companies/websites through Twitter, e.g.:

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@LJMUCareers

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@RoyalHistSoc

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@Prospects

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@CharityJOB

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@CILIPinfo

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@museum_news

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@nationaltrust

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Career Insight: History

Depending on your specific career interests, you could also follow relevant websites and organisations e.g. @retailweek for news relating to the retail sector. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include http://www.do-it.org.uk/ and https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer. These could include the National Museums Liverpool: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/development/volunteers/volunteering.aspx

POSTGRADUATE STUDY The potential advantage of postgraduate study is that it allows you to enter employment with additional skills and knowledge. Although the main downside is that course fees can be a deterrent, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to undertake postgraduate study.

Continuing your studies If you have enjoyed History on your undergraduate programme you may want to continue your studies at a higher level and in greater depth. In fact, having a passion for your subject is possibly the best reason to go into postgraduate education, as long as you have a sensible idea of where it might lead you professionally once you have finished. If you aspire to a career in academia, it is essential to undertake a masters/PhD programme, and a strong interest in pursuing research would also be an asset.

Improving your job prospects An increasingly competitive job market has encouraged many students to consider further study Specialising at postgraduate level can add to your set of skills and make you a stronger job applicant if you can sell these skills effectively. However, you should bear in mind that although most employers will recognise these additional qualifications and skills, they are not obliged to pay more for additional postgraduate qualifications.

Other points to consider Conduct further research to find out about additional careers open to you and consider other relevant options, e.g. based on previous work or voluntary experience, skills and interests. To explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm. You can also use career planning tools like http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area, e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Will you need to complete a postgraduate degree (e.g. for social work or teaching roles)? Is any specific work experience required? If it is, how could you go about gaining the required experience? We also recommend that you download a copy of our “Planning your Career” guide from the Careeers website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm this includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options and introduces you to the DOTS model to help you with your career planning.

Recruitment schedule Many undergraduate students also secure work experience through a more ‘speculative’ or ‘creative’ approach i.e. after contacting organisations directly through networking events, via email or through

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Career Insight: History

LinkedIn. You might, for example, consider contacting a local museum or heritage centre (depending on your career interests) as a starting point. Once you have some initial career ideas, undertaking work experience or voluntary work in these areas can be a great way not only to find out whether this role would be right for you but also to build up a network of professionals and organisations in your chosen sector, which can often lead to further work experience or even a full-time role after graduating. Before contacting organisations about work shadowing or work experience opportunities, make sure you research the organisation and find out the best person to get in touch with. It is important that you demonstrate that you are interested in the organisation and have spent some time finding out what they do. Even when applying to secure work experience for the first time in this industry, show the employer what you have to offer e.g. briefly outline any relevant skills or knowledge gained from your course. Look at the skills listed under entry requirements in the occupational profiles on Prospects http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm and try to evidence these on your CV, drawing on examples from your course, work experience or extra-curricular activities to demonstrate how you developed these. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include https://do-it.org/ and https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer. Many charities and not-for-profit organisations require volunteers to assist them in organising fundraising events, developing and implementing a social media strategy or generally marketing their organisation. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer.

Recruitment schedule Recruitment cycles and deadlines will vary depending on the type of work you are applying for. Again, research is key to ensure that you do not miss relevant opportunities. As a rule of thumb, the selection process takes longer in larger organisations, as they tend to receive a higher number of applications and use several different stages to reduce the number of potential candidates. As a result, application deadlines can be as early as October/November in your final year of study for a start date in August or September of the following year. If you are considering postgraduate study, find out if there are any specific closing dates for applications by contacting relevant universities directly. Many graduate training schemes with large companies will accept applications from students of any degree background. If you are interested in these roles, you will need to be aware of the recruitment cycle. Many employers begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final-year students – some placements are advertised then as well. Most closing dates are in November and December, but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process for graduate training schemes usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. This may be followed by psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre. You may also need to submit your CV. Most of the large recruiters have a section on the student/graduate pages of their website that outlines the different steps of their selection process, so check these to find out what is required. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm The Careers Team run a “Graduate Schemes Uncovered” workshop and webinar on a regular basis – please check our events pages on https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details.

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Career Insight: History

Many of these opportunities are advertised in the Prospects Student Career Guide and the Targetjobs directories (available from Careers Zones) and on websites such as Prospects, Milkround and Targetjobs – also check organisations’ own websites. You may also find work through small and medium-sized enterprises/businesses (SMEs). These types of companies don’t usually have structured training schemes but will recruit ‘as required’. Depending on previous experience, you might find yourself applying for entry-level roles on an administrator grade at first i.e. job titles like marketing administrator, marketing/PR assistant; but once you have gained experience in one of these roles this should open up opportunities for promotion within your organisation, or give you the required experience to apply for higher-grade positions with other employers. Some SMEs may use their own application form but most applications will be by CV and covering letter. These positions will be advertised on company websites, relevant recruitment websites, the Job Centre and national and local newspapers. The ‘creative’ or ‘speculative’ approach to job hunting, outlined above, is also important when looking for graduate roles. Making contacts and approaching organisations speculatively to look for work is a common route into employment. For more information about the speculative approach to job hunting, download a copy of our guide to ‘The Hidden Jobs Market’ from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser at your nearest Careers Zone or you can attend relevant workshops or webinars run by the Careers Team.

Key events and networking 

Liverpool Careers Fairs: are usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for details.

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Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/events/ for details.

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Placement fair at LJMU: the Employability Support Unit in the Business School organises an annual placement fair where you can meet employers offering year-long placements to find out more about available opportunities, entrance requirements and application deadlines. If you are considering applying for a sandwich placement, this is an essential date for your diary!

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Careers and employability events at LJMU: keep an eye on our events page at https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks.

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LinkedIn: You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account https://www.linkedin.com to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry.

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LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: http://www.liverpoolsu.com/clubsandsocs.

Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship - support for LJMU students and graduates interested in starting up their own business https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup/. Postgraduate Study - download our mini-guide on “Thinking about Postgraduate Study” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different options available.

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Career Insight: History

Careers Zones Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages.

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