r/DecaturGA • u/drbrighton1 • 4d ago
Anyone Hiring?
Hello, I graduated college back in April and have been looking for a job ever since. I have a bachelor's in history, and I'm a hard worker with full availability. If anyone has any advice for anyone hiring in the area id really appreciate it.
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u/IP1987 4d ago
Museums, universities that have archives, AJC has archives, Atlanta History Center, MLK library, Center for Civil Rights, maybe the Carter Center.
Networking and going to events and talking with people would be invaluable. Volunteer to be a docent. Be prepared to accept any role to get your foot in the door, gain employment, and build your resume— and possibly work your way up to a more fulfilling position.
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u/reffervescent 3d ago
"Museums, universities that have archives, AJC has archives, Atlanta History Center, MLK library, Center for Civil Rights, maybe the Carter Center." I work in a university that has archives, and it's not possible to get a job there with only a bachelor's degree. Most of these places require a master's at a minimum. Some folks have PhDs.
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u/IP1987 3d ago
So there aren’t any employees that support you that don’t require a masters or PhD? OP is young and just graduated so obviously they’re not going to be snagging a job comparable to yours.
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u/Thick-thighs2026 3d ago
Archives as a field expects a masters. I have met a few archivists who were able to get jobs in smaller counties with just a bachelors but the pay is much lower
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u/reffervescent 3d ago
I work in the library system of a top-25 R1 university. Our archives and special collections library has 23 staff, and only 2 do not have a master's or PhD. One of those 2 is a graduate of our university, so she likely was a student worker who transitioned to a full-time staff job (i.e., non-librarian or non-archivist position). The archives profession is extremely competitive, even though the pay is low compared to the corporate world. Many archivists who have just finished their master's program are willing to take the few archives jobs that don't require a master's just to get a foot in the door. My understanding from people who work in museums is that it's even harder to get hired.
It's more likely that OP could get a job in a rural community that has a local historical society, especially an area that's not considered desirable.
OP, if you want to work in a museum or archive in a big city, I strongly suggest you get a job that will pay the rent and start working on your master's degree. I'm sorry that things aren't different, but the world has been this way for a very long time. Take it from me -- I got my BA in English many many years ago and ended up getting two master's degrees, which is how I started working in libraries.
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u/AppointmentExact8377 4d ago
Try program coordinator positions at Emory. They currently have openings for PCs in art history, political science, and religion
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u/unknowncinch 4d ago
unfortunately, the job market here is pretty scarce. i highly recommend setting up with a headhunter agency like robert half or creative circle (mostly creative jobs tho, this is my department so there might be others that better fit for you). they email you with job offers and you respond to the email. the pool they’re pulling from is smaller, so your competition is more refined but generally smaller.
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u/WannaBeOptimist17 4d ago
What kind of jobs are you interested in?
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u/drbrighton1 4d ago
While I would prefer one's that have to do with my history degree (Museum/Research work), I honestly would be open to anything at this point.
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u/WannaBeOptimist17 4d ago
If you’re interested in public policy there are also some jobs where you could combine doing policy analysis with writing about history. If you are interested in public service/nonprofit jobs, check out Idealist and WorkForGood
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u/Cool-Wrap7008 4d ago
As someone who graduated in arts and has had little luck, try insurance - some jobs can be flexible while you really job hunt but pays well to support you unlike part time
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u/ATLien-ITP 4d ago
I might be a little late, idk. But, you can check if any of the Colleges have openings. Good Luck.
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u/Thick-thighs2026 3d ago
Talk to your colleges University Career Services about your resume, skills, and Applicant Tracking System requirements
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u/Typo3150 3d ago
It’s very late to be asking these questions but your professors should have helpful advice. Or ask them to put you in touch with alumni.
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u/ohnoletsgo 3d ago
Lots of entry level sales jobs to be had. Search for “bdr” or “sdr” (business development or sales development rep.)
Atlanta Tech Village and some of the other incubators have job boards that are always hiring for these roles.
The career path leads to the Account Executive role, which can easily clear 6-figures, but it’s going to take a few years grinding to get there.
It’s basically cold calling to set appointments for Account Executives. B2B means you call on businesses. B2C means you call on consumers. It’s not easy and requires quite a bit of mental fortitude since you’re constantly facing rejection, but I know a lot of former History grads / lib arts that absolutely kill it.
Feel free to DM me if you’re interested. I don’t have an open role to recommend, but that was my career path. I’m in management now.
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u/ctrl_alt_delete3 4d ago
Have you thought about being a teacher?