Personal viewpoint:
My work has always been a source of enjoyment. I love the archives and the stories they tell. Organising records so people can use them – and feel confident about destroying them when they no longer need them (unless they are archives of course!), is incredibly fulfilling.
But the work is not just about the archives, it’s about people; the people who create and use them, the organisations that keep them. It’s also about teaching people - record creators, visitors and researchers who use archives to answer their own questions about life and history. People who want to look after records and archives for the benefit of other people. I have never been bored because I have been able to work with so many different kinds of archives in so many different organisations with many different people. I have also been fortunate enough to live abroad and still continue to travel overseas with my work.
Never a dull moment!
I decided to become an archivist when I was still at school. My love of history fed my desire to pursue a career in this field and continue learning about history.
It was a choice that has given me access to so many varied archives and organisations, including:
- A traditional archive in Bristol, where we had beautiful medieval records
- The British Medical Association, where I was a records manager responsible for an archivist and other staff
- The International Monetary Fund in Washington DC
- A large archive in Budapest, Hungary specialising in the history of the Cold War and communism and human rights issues in Eastern and Central Europe
- The Archive-Skills Consultancy, where I am a Director. Together with my business partner we do project work in archives and records management and run training courses.
Aside from living in Washington and Budapest, some of my career highlights include:
- Travelling to Mongolia to give training in record preservation to Mongolian archivists
- Travelling by car through the mountains of Bosnia to visit archives
- Working in a medieval castle
- Hiring our own speedboat to get to the Isle of Egg to interview people about their archives.
Being a self-employed consultant allows me to continue doing new things, so I am never bored. I usually have several projects on the go at any time and my clients are very varied – charities, businesses, government, even a fashion designer and a Duke! I also get involved in professional activities, sitting on a committee that assesses university archive courses and a committee for international affairs. Right now I am helping to organise an international conference in Malta.
Any downsides?
The only snag when working for yourself is managing workloads. I sometimes work too hard because I enjoy it too much or take on too much, but then I’ve only myself to blame. But it is also good having a business partner, she helps me out and likewise I jump in and assist her when things get hectic.
Margaret’s tips:
You need to be the sort of person that enjoys looking after old things and keeping things neat and tidy. Attention to detail and being able to stick at something and see a project through is essential. But my best advice is make sure you try an assortment of roles in different types of organisations, because there are so many varied and interesting places to work.