Category Archives: Hiring a Professional

Accreditation, Education, Family History, Genealogical Proof Standard, Genealogy, Hiring a Professional, ICAPGen, Professionals

What Will a Professional Genealogist Do for Me? Having Realistic Expectations

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What Will a Professional Genealogist Do for Me? Having Realistic Expectations
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By Melanie Marsh, AG®

You’re considering hiring a professional genealogist, but you have questions: What should that engagement look like? What would I be paying for? What would I receive?

If you’ve never worked with a professional before, these questions don’t have obvious answers.

The Engagement Starts Before the Research Does

The research doesn’t begin the moment you reach out. First, you’ll meet with the genealogist to review what you already know, including any documentation you have, and together you’ll form a focused research question.

A good genealogist builds on proven facts. Hazy memories or even established family tradition can send research in the wrong direction from the beginning. Starting on solid ground saves significant time and money later.

Clearly defined goals make it manageable. The difference between “find out where my family came from” and “find the parents of Bruce MacDonald from the 1861 Glasgow, Scotland census” is a project that may continue indefinitely and one a genealogist can plan and price.

What You’re Paying For … and What You’re Not

Most professional genealogists charge an hourly rate, which varies depending on expertise and credentials. Most structure their contracts in blocks of hours, with a written report at the end of each block. This keeps costs predictable and gives you a chance to decide whether to continue.

You are paying for expert time and effort, not a specific result. No legitimate professional can guarantee specific results. The fee should buy skilled, standards-based research applied to your question. Be cautious of anyone who promises dramatic results or offers unusually low rates for complex work.

“Reasonably Exhaustive Research”

This phrase comes from the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS), the field’s accepted standard for reaching reliable conclusions. It requires that a researcher examine all sources a competent professional would consider relevant: available original records, secondhand sources if originals are not available, and a documented accounting of what was searched, found, and not found. This means a researcher will not pursue every conceivable avenue regardless of time or cost.

Your authorized hours define the boundary. If the question genuinely requires more time than agreed, a professional working to standards will tell you, and explain what was left unexamined. This transparency is not a disclaimer; it’s part of what you are paying for.

In Your Inbox: The Research Report

The written report is the primary deliverable, a documented account of all research performed, from question through evidence to conclusion.

A professional report includes a stated research goal, a summary of findings, analysis, a conclusion, and recommendations for future research. Negative search results appear too; they rule out one resource and point toward others.

The recommendations section matters. When research hits a wall, a professional researcher identifies what records may exist but haven’t been located, which archives hold collections worth checking, and what approaches—DNA evidence, cluster research, collateral lines—might reopen the question. The wall isn’t the end of the report; it’s the beginning of the next one.

The Report’s Lasting Value

Keep the report. Share it with relatives or others who care about the same lines. If you engage a different genealogist later, sharing that document with them prevents duplication and they can then build on solid conclusions.The question you start with may or may not be fully answerable. But research conducted by a qualified professional and shared in a standards-based report, produces something durable anyway: a documented, honest account of what is known, what is not, and why.

See other posts in this series:

“Ten Effective Steps to Hiring an Accredited Genealogist (AG®) Professional” by Trish Melander, AG®

“Finding the Right Genealogist: How to Use ICAPGen’s Find an AG® Professional Directory” by Michelle Tucker Chubenko, AG®, AGLTM

“Not All Genealogists are the Same: Understanding Genealogical Credentials Before You Hire,” by Melanie Marsh, AG®

Accreditation, Education, Family History, Genealogy, Hiring a Professional, ICAPGen, Professionals

Not All Genealogists Are the Same: Understanding Genealogy Credentials Before You Hire

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Diploma tied with blue ribbon on background
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By Melanie Marsh, AG®

When searching for a professional genealogist to work with, have you noticed the letters many genealogists use after their names? AG®, AGLTM, CG®, CGL®… Ever wondered what they mean? Or if they mean anything at all?

There is no licensing board for genealogists, no state certification, no required process before someone can charge for services. Genealogical skill, experience, and work products are measured differently.

The field of professional genealogy has two rigorous, independent credentialing processes that can increase your confidence when selecting a professional to work with.

Credentials Mean Something

There are two major credentialing bodies in the United States issuing post nominals representing their organization. The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) awards the Certified Genealogist® (CG®) credential, and the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen℠) awards the Accredited Genealogist® (AG®) credential. Both are nonprofits. Both require renewal every five years. Both hold members to written codes of ethics. Knowledge of the underlying process for each credentialing board gives a deeper understanding of what the credential represents for you.

The CG: Portfolio Evaluation

BCG’s mission is to increase public confidence in genealogy by promoting competence and ethics with uniform standards. Certified Genealogist associates have demonstrated competence in research methodology, analysis, and clear written communication.

To earn the credential, applicants submit a portfolio of client-quality research work. It is evaluated independently and anonymously by at least three BCG-credentialed judges against rubrics grounded in the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) and the organization’s published Genealogy Standards. BCG also offers two optional add-on credentials for CG associates: the Certified Genealogical Lecturer® (CGL®) and the Certified Genetic Genealogist® (CGG®).

The AG: Tested Regional Expertise

ICAPGen’s mission is to advance family history and genealogy work by testing competence in genealogical research, writing skills, and regional expertise. Accreditation is offered for many United States and international regions, with more to come. Candidates are tested in depth on methodology, record types, analysis, clear written communication, and regional topics important to genealogical research.

To earn the AG credential, applicants submit a professional, thoroughly researched and documented written report and take three written examinations. Reports and exams are anonymized and evaluated independently by at least three AG professionals against rubrics grounded in the GPS and accepted genealogical standards. The final step is an oral review with a panel of credentialed AG professionals to further evaluate expertise and professional readiness.

The AG credential is region-specific, and the process allows researchers to hold credentials in multiple regions. ICAPGen also offers an optional add-on credential for AG professionals: the Accredited Genealogist Lecturer™ (AGL™).

Other Letters You May See

Membership in the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) is a professional affiliation, not a credentialing board. Membership demonstrates community engagement and agreement with a code of ethics, but it is not evidence that a researcher’s work has been evaluated.

Experience matters. A researcher who has attended many conferences, published widely, or taught extensively may be highly capable without a CG or AG. Credentials are a reliable, independent sign that a neutral body of peers has examined a researcher’s work against documented professional standards.

Questions Worth Asking Before You Hire

Do they hold a current CG or AG? BCG and ICAPGen both maintain public directories you can check in under a minute.

How do they handle research in unfamiliar territory? No genealogist is a specialist or even experienced in every location or type of research. Ask how their specialization or experience might apply to your family.

Can they show you a sample report? A professional should be able to produce a sample of the written work they deliver to clients. Conclusions without citations, or confident claims without explanation, are red flags regardless of the letters after a name.

Credentials tell you an independent evaluation of their knowledge has taken place. A sample report tells you what the work looks like. Together, they give you clear information as you decide.

See other posts in this series:

“Ten Effective Steps to Hiring an Accredited Genealogist (AG®) Professional” by Trish Melander, AG®

“Finding the Right Genealogist: How to Use ICAPGen’s Find an AG® Professional Directory” by Michelle Tucker Chubenko, AG®, ALGTM

“What Will a Professional Genealogist Do for Me? Having Realistic Expectations” by Melanie Marsh, AG®