Hiring a Professional Researcher

Hiring a Professional Genealogist Resource Guide

Hiring a professional genealogist is an excellent way to discover your family roots. If you encounter a challenging research problem, if you lack skills or the time to research, or if travel is a problem, you may benefit from the assistance of an experienced professional. These guidelines can help you find and employ a competent genealogist.

The keys to finding a good genealogist are the same as those for hiring other competent professionals. First, you need some general information about what genealogists do and the services they provide. This information can be found in Part I of this guide. Second, you need to know how to evaluate genealogists and select the right one to hire. This information is found in Part II and III.

Part I: General Information

Services Provided by Professional Genealogists

The services of professional genealogists fall into these categories, with other minor services.

Tracing Ancestry. A professional genealogist can help you trace your ancestors. For example, a genealogist may be able to discover who your immigrant ancestors were and where they came from. Or, a genealogist can research one of your family lines back to a specific time period or individual. This is often helpful when people want to join a lineage society and must prove that one of their ancestors participated in a historical event such as the United States Revolutionary War.

Researching Descendants. A professional genealogist may help you in descendancy research by identifying people who descended from a particular individual. For example, you may be a descendant of Daniel Boone and want to start a family organization of his descendants to share genealogical information. A professional genealogist can help you identify the frontiersman's descendants so you can contact them.

Searching Records. To save time and avoid travel costs, you can employ a record searcher to find and review the records for you. Record searchers review only the records you instruct them to search.

DNA Analysis. Many companies offer services to test your DNA. Professional researchers can help you track down candidates for DNA testing and interpret your results. Hiring a DNA Testing Company provides further information.

Other Services. Genealogists also provide a range of other services that include the following­:

• Consulting and counseling with you about how to solve a research problem
• Deciphering handwriting on old records
• Translating foreign records
• Instructing and lecturing on genealogical topics
• Computerizing genealogical information
• Abstracting and publishing records
• Finding missing people

Genealogical Credentials

Genealogists are generally not required by law to be licensed or certified. However, they can receive credentials from several organizations. Each organization sets its own criteria for granting credentials. The reference section at the end of this guide includes two major organizations that grant credentials and offer arbitration if problems arise.

You should also consider other criteria as you make your hiring decision. Most genealogists are self-taught, and many competent genealogists do not seek credentials. Years of education, research experience, and satisfactory service to clients may be just as important as credentials.

Research Scope

Generally, genealogists use the first few hours of a research project to define their clients' goals, analyze the problem, and develop a research plan. This can vary considerably depending on the amount of previous research.

Allow enough start-up time on your project for the genealogist to be productive-usually eight to ten hours on most research projects. Simple tasks, such as performing a record search or evaluating a lineage, should take much less time than a research problem.

Part II: The Hiring Process

The six steps in this section are designed to help you locate several professional genealogists and then select the one that best meets your needs.

Six Steps for Hiring a Genealogist 1. Determine your research needs 2. Obtain a list of genealogists 3. Contact candidates 4. Determine whom to hire 5. Make an agreement 6. Pay fees and provide information to start

Step 1. Determine Your Research Needs

Before hiring a professional genealogist, clarify your research problem and determine what you want the genealogist to do. If you define your research goals early, you are more likely to be satisfied with the results. In addition, you can often save money by gathering information that already exists.

However, if you cannot gather the information needed to define a research goal, you may want to skip this step. Once you have hired a genealogist, you can let the professional decide where to begin.

Do not start with a general or vague goal (example: I want to know more about my ancestors on my mother's side). Clarify the problem by finding and reviewing as much existing information as possible. You may want to check:

• Pedigree charts and family group sheets
• Family histories and traditions
• Birth, death, and marriage certificates; obituaries; funeral programs; and so forth
• Diaries, journals, old letters, and photocopies of family information from Bibles
• Military records, naturalization certificates, photographs, and so forth

After deciding what you want to learn, summarize your research problem and state how the genealogist can help you.

At this point, determine if you really need to hire someone. Maybe you can get help from friends or a genealogical society. If you decide to employ someone, try to determine what expertise the genealogist needs.

Step 2: Obtain a List of Genealogists

Next, obtain a list of potential genealogists. The reference section in Part III of this guide identifies where to obtain lists of genealogists. You can also contact libraries, archives, or genealogical societies in your area.

Step 3: Contact Candidates

Contact several genealogists whose skills and credentials seem appropriate. If you telephone candidates, you can find out immediately if the genealogist is available and interested in working on your project. You may also ask about the genealogist's experience. However, be considerate of the researcher's time. Do not expect too many ideas before the genealogist has seen your records.

Emailing is a slower process, but many genealogists prefer written correspondence because they have time to think about the project before responding. Be sure to include your return address, phone number, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Discuss the following in your phone call or email:

• Your research problem, materials, and goals
• The genealogist's availability and interest in your project
• The research strategies the genealogist might use
• The genealogist's access to records required for your project
• The reporting procedure (You may even want to see a sample report.)
• The genealogist's areas of specialty and credentials, including language skills if needed
• Rates and billing procedures
  

Step 4: Determine Whom to Hire

After contacting several genealogists, decide which one will best meet your needs. Consider the following questions:

• Do you feel the genealogist has a good understanding of your research problem and knows how to solve it?
• Does the genealogist have familiarity with and access to the records that are most likely to solve your research problem?
  
• Do you sense that the genealogist is really interested in your project?
• Do you feel that the genealogist has the required background and skills?
• Do the genealogist's fees seem appropriate?
  

Step 5: Make an Agreement

Before the genealogist begins working on your project, be sure to make an agreement. Although verbal agreements are possible, especially when the project is small, they may be of little benefit in the event of a dispute. A written agreement can be as simple as an email stating your expectations and authorizing the genealogist to proceed, or it can be a formal written contract. Either you or the genealogist can prepare the agreement. In lieu of a formal contract, some genealogists have a list of their research methods and policies that is modified for each project and signed by the client.

Any agreement, verbal or written, should include at least the following:

• The research goal and scope of the project.
• Frequency of reports and bills
• Content of the reports
• What constitutes fees and expenses
• Payment and limitations of fees
• How cost overruns should be handled
• What happens if one or both parties do not or cannot fulfill their part of the agreement.
• Publication rights to the research findings
• What forms the genealogist will prepare
  

Step 6: Pay Fees and Provide Information to Start

Send whatever retainer or fees are required for the genealogist to begin working. Share any information you collected in step 1. You will avoid needless duplication by informing your genealogist of the records you found and the research that has already been done. Send good photocopies of your materials. Never give original documents or other materials for which you have no other copies.

Stay in Contact

As you work with your genealogist, be sure to communicate often. Most problems can be avoided through good communication. However, if problems do arise that you cannot solve together, get in touch with the organization that credentialed the genealogist. Many organizations will mediate or arbitrate disagreements between the genealogists they credential and their clients.

Part III: Reference Section

The following list of organizations covers most geographical areas of interest and can connect you with qualified researchers. Any concerns about research performed by a genealogist should be directed back to the organization listing the genealogist and not to FamilySearch.

The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)

The Association of Professional Genealogists
P. O. Box 40393
Denver, CO 80204-0393
United States of America
Web: www.apgen.org/index.html

Online directory

Researchers listed in the directory must agree to a code of professionalism.

Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG)

Board for Certification of Genealogists^®
P.O. Box 14291
Washington, D.C. 20044
United States of America
Web: www.bcgcertification.org

Online directory

Tests and certifies researchers in various categories of services. All certified individuals must agree to a code of ethics.

The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen)

International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen^SM)
P.O. Box 4464
Salt Lake City, UT 84110-4464
United States of America
Telephone: toll-free 1-866-813-6729
Email: information@icapgen.org
Web: www.icapgen.org

Online directory

Researchers listed in the directory have been reviewed for competency and must agree to a code of ethics.