Why Learning History is Good for Your Career

History is an integral part of understanding the intricacies of the world we live in. Further, learning about the past allows you to depict the world we are living in. That includes analyzing political movements, activism, science, and art.

Moreover, you acquire transferable skills that apply to various aspects of your life. Generally, learning about history is beneficial for your career.

Regardless of the path you choose, knowing the past allows you to formulate better decisions in the present and execute them in the future. Learning from past mistakes and accomplishments is fundamental to bettering the world. History education provides you with critical thinking abilities and the capacity to formulate clear arguments.

Moreover, you will learn how to conduct research properly and contribute to the world. Below is an outline that further allows you to comprehend the importance of history to your career.

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How Students Can Optimize Their History Education

Initiating your educational journey early on provides you with an advantage. As a student, reading about the past builds a foundation that will assist you in various life aspects. But sometimes, students need more resources or inspiration. You should utilize a lot of Cold War essays with reasons and conclusions for your essay topics.

Those examples will provide professional writing and excellent insight to ace your assignments. Fully comprehending your history papers’ research and writing methods can be complicated. Hence, aim to resort to those samples to boost your educational journey.

Understanding the impacts of the Cold War and other tragic events provides you with insight. You can educate yourself about the political, religious, racial, and law aspects regarding those matters.

Moreover, various tragedies we witness today are an indirect result of events that occurred in the past. That includes unstable economics in multiple countries, elevated levels of homelessness, and general corruption.

What Can You Do with a History Degree?

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If you are considering a degree in history, you might be worried about the prospects of such a path. The good news is, if utilized adequately, you will have countless opportunities to pursue. History courses educate individuals on various matters. Students also learn rhetorical and analytical skills applicable to many professions.

Hence, if you seek a degree driven by your passion, you should not fret. You will face numerous opportunities in the future. Some careers you can pursue after graduation include:

• Writer
• Lawyer
• Political Advisor
• Government Historian
• Museum Curator
• Researcher
• College Professor
• Historian
• Librarian

The list does not only include the jobs mentioned above. Remember, various institutes are searching for individuals capable of extensive research.

After you complete your studies, you will realize how proficient at analysis you have become. Hence, your options are wide open. Multiple private sectors are on the hunt for graduates with excellent research skills.

Career Skills You Gain from History Education

Why does history matter? Well, you might think it merely revolves around understanding the past to make calculated decisions for the future. While that is true, the benefits are far more extensive. You will attain various transferable skills by learning history-related matters. You can find some of the skills to acquire below.

1. How to Listen

A fundamental skill that people hone in communication is listening. Healthline further discusses the difference between listening and hearing. At its core, listening is “paying attention to sound.”

However, hearing is sensing sounds around you as stimuli. The former requires more effort for you to digest someone’s words and understand them truly. This requires dedicating your attention and immersing yourself in the conversation. In History, you must learn to listen to share your ideas and discuss others’ views.

2. Enhance Your Ability to Read

Many people are in the habit of skimming words instead of comprehending them. Throughout your history journey, you will have to read countless books. This also requires analysis, conclusions, and an extensive amount of writing. Over time, you develop the ability to read copious amounts of information and sum it up cleverly.

3. Practicing Empathy

While it is not your typical skill, empathy is a fundamental part of life. What scholars often call “historical empathy” includes analyzing past events, observing them from various perspectives, and allowing us to reflect upon them. Over time, you will master the ability to empathize with others.

4. Asking the Right Questions

You might want to ask random questions throughout your career, especially in stressful moments. While there is no harm in doing so, history allows you to learn how to ask the right ones. These are often more comprehensive and analytical. When you study the past, you know how to observe large systems and reflect upon their minor details.

Then, you dissect the problems at hand to further comprehend the significant issues and find means of managing them.

5. Critical Thinking Skills

Every individual faces issues at some point in life. However, only some are capable of systematically solving them. When you study history, you acquire the skills to investigate issues within their context.

Instead of getting overwhelmed by a problem, you can take a step back to observe the big picture, analyze it, and brainstorm solutions.

How Studying History Helps Your Career

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Are you still wondering why we should learn history? Well, you are not alone. The excellent news is that fundamental aspects of the past allow you to scale up in life and advance your career. This can occur in multiple ways, a few of which are further illustrated below.

1. Learning the History of Everything

Whether you believe it or not, anything in life stems from a part of the past. This applies to science, art, politics, religion, and everything else.

Hence, regardless of your career path, you will find out various elements that complete a bigger picture. You can fully understand the complexity and the sheer number of events that took place to create the path you are currently pursuing. This provides insight into more effective methods to approach your work and any problems that arise.

2. Landing More Exciting Jobs

History opens a variety of different fields. Hence, even if you have not discovered your passion at an early age, pursuing history is an incredible option for your future career. Various famous individuals completed their education in history before pursuing grander life paths.

Those include John F. Kennedy, Katharine Hepburn, Bill O’Reilly, and Louis R. Caplan. You can find out who else obtained a degree in history and became famous. The remarkable aspect here is that each person has a diverse background. Some are currently professors. Others are writers. You will also find politicians, artists, and actors on the list.

3. It Allows You to Take Calculated Decisions

Everyone tends to act out, primarily when driven by emotions. However, people learn how to make more calculated decisions after understanding the various elements of the past. You also know that the problems you currently face, or whatever you read about, is not one-sided argument.

Instead, there are always two sides to any story. That means that you perceive the world with a more balanced outlook. This occurs as you study various subjects and read multiple resources. Over time, you can measure the credibility and accuracy of the sources and make your conclusions.

4. Learning from Past Mistakes

We all learn from the mistakes committed in the past.

However, history majors have a deeper understanding of the civilizations that existed before us. Reading various materials, they analyze resources and learn novel stories about the past. Hence, they learn from other people’s mistakes. This comes in handy in multiple situations. For instance, you prevent yourself from making errors you have read about.

Also, it allows you to provide others with better advice regarding their issues.

5. More Adaptable to Change

Adapting to change is a fundamental aspect of any job you take. But why is history important in this context? Well, it allows you to understand the change that occurs, whether that be in the world or within an organization. Change is inevitable.

However, being flexible enough to maneuver around it is a complex process. By reading about historical events, such as the fall of Rome or the American civil rights movement, you can predict how things will unravel. This perspective allows you to easily mold into various forms and get accustomed to your environment.

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Final Thoughts

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat their past mistakes. While being a history major does not prevent that, it allows you to gain perspective of the world. You become more receptive to other ideas and concepts. This will enable you to comprehend various aspects of the world.

Moreover, studying the past offers you various prospects. The jobs you can pursue are countless. Hence, many students who are confused about the adequate college path are driven toward history. It is a major that opens multiple opportunities and teaches you impeccable communication and analytical skills. The bottom line is that learning about the past gives you chances to build a brighter future.

Author’s Bio

John Marlow

Having pursued education in history and literature, John has an amusing knowledge base. His research interests focus on art history, philosophy, and linguistics. John’s diverse interests equip him with the knowledge he utilizes to inspire others and educate them about the fundamentals of history.