History Careers Fears
Do you remember being asked as a child what you wanted to be when you grew up? That question comes up a lot at University as well, but this time, you actually have to have a real answer!
If you’ve ever expressed a desire to study History at uni, I’m sure you’ve had at least one person tell you (with a weary shrug and smug complexion) that studying History leads nowhere. I struggled with this notion for a while before coming to uni. I love history but I was worried that I was choosing disaster for myself later down the line.
However, when I got to Warwick, I found that these fears were unfounded. The careers team in the History department explained to us at the time that not only were Warwick students highly sought after but History students in particular had one of the best employment rates in the University.
Our skills in critical thinking, evaluation, communication (both verbal and written), consuming and processing information, empathy and analysis make us Historians suited to any number of different sectors and roles: investment banking, journalism, marketing & PR, teaching, law, accounting & finance, advertising, human resources, consultancy and if you really want to, museum work… (this is not an exhaustive list by the way)
As I came to this, my third and final year, it was helpful to know I had excellent people and resources around me to help me decide where’s next after uni. I met up with people in the careers team and attended the various fairs that are put on. I had a lot of conversations with people who know me well and got their advice – it’s good to speak to other people because they can point out the strengths and weaknesses we are blind to.
It’s hard working out what to look into when so many doors are potentially open to you but it’s been fun to explore what options are open to me. My advice is to start early. Deciding your future doesn’t have a deadline like and essay does but you don’t want to leave it til the last minute before you start the process. Having said that, don’t stress too much. You don’t have to have it all worked out on the second day!
If you have any questions about History and careers, feel free to drop a comment below and I’d be happy to have a go at helping out 🙂
