I got my history degree last year, but I knew I wanted to just take a shitty job for a year and do something that wasn't challenging or related to my studies before going back into graduate school. However, while I had that very shitty job, I also did two internships that were related to my field and asked at those two locations exactly the questions you are asking. What can I do with a history degree?

One thing that both groups mentioned to me as a pretty cheap, quick option that would also prepare me for and make me look better for graduate school was to get certified as a librarian. They told me that no one really cares where you get certified, so its easy to just do it online and just as good as gong to an actual brick and mortar school.

A museum or academic institution seems to be the obvious preference for people with history degrees, but there are a lot of people with history degrees looking for those jobs. However, an undergraduate history degree really doesn't teach you how to take care of old documents, create file structures and generally organize an office. A simply library certification will set you apart with a much more practical and technical set of skills.

This website might help a little as well:

http://www.historians.org/jobs-and-professional-development/career-resources/careers-for-history-majors

I also just graduated with a history degree and was kind of unsure of my direction. I would say if you have a vague idea of the direction you'd like to go, e.g. public history, archaeology, law, etc., apply for internships so you can get some experience and try out some different things. Before my internship this summer I thought I wanted to be a museum curator, but now that it's over I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a library science degree and become an archivist.

Well what do you want to do? What are your goals and ambitions?

I have a masters and I work for an IT firm. It really depends on what you want to do and your skill sets. It also depends on your financial situation as well. If you can, take an internship in a field that you are interested in.

Maybe I am just old and disgruntled but I would not recommend history related professions. They are generally hard to come by, poorly paid and unstable. Only do it if you are truly passionate about it, if you could not imagine your life without it. Otherwise you will get burnt out.

So, I'm not a historian myself. But I do have a friend who's degree is in military history and he works as a consultant in regards to risk assessment for foreign market investment.

I only mention this because it apparently pays a couple hundred thousand a year. So, yeah, it might be worth it to look into doing something in the financial world. He did have to get his masters first. I think he still does some research on the side occasionally since he makes enough money to take a good chunk of time off each year.

So, Im in a Masters Program right now, and I just wanted to weigh in on that option just a bit.

Hey, ummm. . . this shits fucking hard, man. Like serious, they dont mess around anymore. I dont go to a huge university, and most of you have probably never heard of the program Im in. But even there, they are kicking my ass.

Now, this isnt to say "dont go to grad school, let me keep all the jobs". Its to say "hey, this isnt a joke." They are preparing me, they are preparing all of us in my program, for PhDs, regardless of our post-MA goals. Its really challenging, and you should know that going in, its probably the hardest thing youll ever have to do (before your PhD, of course). I know it is for me. So be sure you want to do this, and do it in history, and actually do some real archival history. Because if you get an MA in history, you will be a real historian. Be sure thats what you really want, and not what you think you should do. Even today, Grad school is optional, and nobody is going to make you do it. Certainly, nobody is going to pay for it like they did with undergrad (unless you live that kind of life, I dont know). Its a commitment, know that going in.

I ended up keeping the job I worked in college. It was lower paying then industry standard and irregular. To get by I picked up horrible secondary jobs, refinishing hard wood floors, to suppliment my income and pay for math classes. Eventually I got a promotion at my original job. This job pays for my graduate studies in a STEM major. Yes, I'm back in lower division for the third time, and the kids keep getting smaller, but I'm still learning.

TL;DR: Go to graduate school in a demand field.

Edit: It's my third time in lower division because I graduated with a double major the first time. After the BAs I applied to a graduate school that offered an MA program in the area my research(undergraduate) was published in, but they restructured the department and removed the emphasis. That's when I started taking math classes. I had considered law, but saw that law schools were producing 200% of the demand in that field.