Archivist Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Archivist resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Archivists collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to information of enduring value. They work in diverse fields like business, government, law, science, and medicine. They also work at museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions, where they help preserve and share our collective memory.
If you’re interested in working with historical materials and have a passion for research, then becoming an archivist might be the perfect career for you. But before you can land that dream job, you need a resume that will impress hiring managers. Here are some tips and an example to help you write yours.
How to Write an Archivist Resume
Here’s how to write an archivist resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
When it comes to bullet points, the more specific you can be about your experience and accomplishments, the better. For example, rather than saying you “managed archives,” you could say that you “managed archives for 10,000-item collection of historical documents, ensuring proper storage conditions and timely processing for access by researchers.”
The second bullet point is much stronger because it provides specific details about the project and the results of your work. It also includes a quantifiable result (“processed 10,000 items”).
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume for an archivist role, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. ATS programs search resumes for specific terms related to the job, like “endowment management” or “archives management.” If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common archivist keywords as a starting point to help you identify the skills, experience, and traits that are most relevant to the role:
- Archives
- Archival Science
- Library Science
- Records Management
- Archives Administration
- Library Services
- Records Management Best Practices
- Information Literacy
- Library Instruction
- Cataloging
- History
- Digitization
- Digital Preservation
- Museum Studies
- Preservation
- Historical Research
- Genealogy
- Conservation
- Information Retrieval
- Storing
- Writing
- Public Speaking
- Microsoft Access
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Event Planning
- Organization Skills
- Social Media
- Time Management
- Nonprofit Organizations
Showcase Your Technical Skills
Prospective employers will want to see that you have the technical skills required to do the job. This may include proficiency in programs like Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, and database management software. Additionally, archivists need to be familiar with the principles of archival science and the methods used to preserve and document historical materials.