Archivist onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
Verify required credentials: Certified Archivist, Digital Archives Specialist (as applicable)
Prepare equipment and access: archivesSpace; digital asset management systems; scanners; metadata standards
Assign a buddy or preceptor
Enroll the new hire in Archivist training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
Lift boxes safely
Handle mold and pests carefully
Use gloves for photos
Protect sensitive records
Shadow an experienced archivist through a full shift
Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

Supervised practice: process a small archival collection
Supervised practice: plan a digitization project
Supervised practice: accept a donation of papers
Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

Appraise records: independently
Arrange and describe collections: independently
Write finding aids: independently
Preserve materials: independently
Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
Begin cross-training on a secondary task
Agree on a credential goal (for example, Certified Archivist)
Discuss the career path: Archives Assistant → Archivist → Senior Archivist
90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or task	Trained	Observed	Signed off
Process a Small Archival Collection
Plan a Digitization Project
Accept a Donation of Papers
Archival arrangement
Description standards
Preservation
Digital records management

How to measure onboarding success

Time to independent classroom work
Observation and evaluation scores
Licensing or compliance findings
First-year retention

How Archivist training maps to this plan

Introduction to the Archivist Role
A Day on the Job
Essential Archivist Vocabulary
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Common Tasks, Step by Step
Tools, Equipment and Technology
Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
Skills Employers Look For
Launching Your Archivist Career
Final Knowledge Check

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Archivist Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)