Here we are, loyal raders (that’s readers and graders combined), the final blog post of my internship! Last week, we talked about having an interdisciplinary mindset – not only in history, but in all aspects of life. We highlighted the benefit of bringing in different perspectives and viewpoints to broaden and enrich our understanding. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t value in expanding our own skillset. From a logistical standpoint there will be times when you can’t afford to bring in an additional expert – because let’s face it, budgets are a thing – and that’s why it’s also important to practice interdisciplinary learning when possible. It may seem obvious, but having an intellectual curiosity (or budgetary necessity) that encourages us to continue to learn and grow our skills can be a benefit both at work and personally. There’s so much information out there that while it’s not possible to know everything, we can try!
As an example, while there isn’t much crossover in the basic training of a historian and a marketing professional (as someone who has done both jobs and more, I promise this is true), the two skillsets can absolutely be complimentary. You don’t have to be an expert at social media to be a researcher/archivist/fill-in-the-blank-ist, but even in the academic world, understanding how to communicate and share your work will greatly broaden its reach. This stands for communicating both verbally and visually, as we will never escape PowerPoints, no matter the field. This reach can mean more opportunities, finding new ideas and perspectives (see last week’s discussion), or even a monetary or public relations boost. Though some may sneer at social media, the truth is that it has a great number of benefits in a variety of ways.
In case it seemed like I wasn’t going to bring this back to the Samuel Johnson Dictionary Project, fear not! What they say about trying new things and expanding your skillset is truly true. Interning on a public history project that works on digitizing a historical document, lets me see the field I love in new ways. I’ve learned new ways of researching, basic XML, and enhanced my knowledge of spreadsheeting (it’s a word). It has been a huge influence on my outlook and the more ways I explore “doing” history only serves to increase my love of, and ability in, the field. Rather than just viewing history as that thing that we teach in a classroom or learn on a tour through a museum, this reinforces just how many different directions that it can be taken. I am consistently inspired by the work of the amazing people around me and even if I don’t follow exactly in their footsteps (I’m sorry, fearless leader, but I cannot hack it in the English department), the encouragement I’ve received to pursue my passion and add my voice to the field is invaluable. It may sound hokey, but I genuinely believe that the time spent on this project has been a crucial part of my development as a historian, regardless of the path my journey takes.