Since most of us are home-bound at the moment, there’s no better time to get some serious research done than now. Use the tools that you have, the online databases and such. At the same time, you might want to consider hiring a professional genealogy team to help break through your brick walls.
Every now and then I’ve hired a “pro” to help me with areas I found difficult. And it’s paid off nearly every time. I’ve also hired professionals to work the Salt Lake Christmas Tour for the last 35 years. These people are worth hiring when the time is right – and now may be that time.
I am writing this because I’ve again been approached by friends at Trace. I visited with their CEO, Wesley Eames, at the RootsTech conference again this year (Trace had that massive booth in the SE corner of the exhibit hall), and was once again very favorably impressed with their approach to professional research. Trace has a network of over 4000 professional genealogists and experts working worldwide, with access to over 2000 archives and repositories. These professionals are in over 90 countries throughout the world, and include subject matter experts, such as private investigators, historians, religious scholars, archivists, clergy and university professors. You might be interested to know that the five most popular places outside the USA where Trace clients have research done are Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Click on the links or the illustration for more information.
For a very short time, GenealogyBlog readers can get a specialized review of your research for just $99 (that’s a $51 savings over the normal $150 fee). This $99 rate is only for GenealogyBlog readers and it expires this next Monday, May 25. So, fill out the short form and get started. But first, you might want to know a bit more about why hiring a professional makes sense for all of us. Please note that not all of the following is my wording, but I’m in full agreement with every word – mine or otherwise.
Why Hiring A Genealogist Makes Sense
It makes sense to hire a genealogist if your excitement and commitment are overshadowed by frustration and discouragement. It makes sense to hire a genealogist if you can’t access local records, translate documents in a foreign language, or interpret DNA results. Even if you have extensive genealogy research know-how, it makes sense to hire a genealogist if you simply don’t have enough extra time or money to tackle your project. Surprisingly, hiring a genealogist can save a lot of money in the long run.
Time is Money
Let’s face it, researching your family can be all-consuming, especially when dealing with records that are not indexed, or historic documents that are written in a foreign language or old script. Professional genealogists, who specialize in a specific subject or geographic location, are well acquainted with a wide variety of sources that a less experienced genealogist may overlook. As my readers know, I never have enough time. Spending a little money can move things along even when I’m buried with the publishing business. It can do the same for you. Think of it this way. There are some projects that may take you 4 years and 1200 hours of your time vs. $1200 and 4 months of a professional’s time.
Brick Walls
“I’ve hit a brick wall and I need help!” We’ve all said it at one point or another while trying to create accurate timelines and confirm family relationships. Brick walls happen to all of us, and the key to extending a line can be a professional with “boots on the ground,” or just a different perspective. It also takes a trained eye to keep a family tree from going off track. When dealing with a difficult project, a professional genealogist has the knowledge and experience necessary to solve these difficult puzzles. Allowing fresh eyes to methodically examine your brick wall allows new information to surface. Professional genealogists are an excellent resource to validate research passed down by other family members or to verify work you have completed yourself. Not only can they make new discoveries, but they have also been trained, utilizing the Genealogical Proof Standard, to analyze and interpret existing evidence, which may lead to new conclusions. They are experienced in working with specific information on a variety of record types over various time periods.
Digital Resources Can Only Get You So Far
With advances in technology and online genealogical databases over the past 20 years, many census and other vital records are now widely available to the public, leading some to wrongly assume that if it can’t be found online, it does not exist. This is a mistake. Only a small percentage of records are available online compared to the number that are still held in local or state repositories. In some cases the only way to find information is to access original records on-site. This requires time and travel and can be very expensive. It is always more cost effective to hire a local professional researcher on the ground. A local researcher is well versed in which records and which repository will likely hold the answers to the research question at hand. At Trace, they work with a wide variety of tested genealogists who can help individuals access records all across Europe, South America, Australia and the United States. It is more cost effective to pay a local professional researcher to obtain needed information than it is to take time off work and foot the bill for travel expenses in order to do the research yourself. Local professional researchers not only speak and understand the language, but they can also navigate the local customs and laws. They understand the fluidity of boundary changes caused by war or political disputes. In some countries multiple languages have been spoken over time, which affects the languages records may be written in. These variables can be overwhelming while trying to gather genealogical information. It is best to rely on a professional to help you understand the language, conventions and customs of a region or time period.
DNA
Genetic genealogy is an ever-growing field, and most of us are baffled by what to do with our results. My company, Family Roots Publishing, markets many guides for understanding DNA research. But it can still be hard! Understanding how to combine scientific and historical documentation can be a stumbling block for those of us who are passionate about genealogy. Genetic genealogists are trained in how to utilize your DNA data to aid you in solving your genealogical puzzles. Because genetic genealogy requires a distinct skill set from traditional genealogical research, it may be of value to seek the help of an expert to determine kinship.
Conclusion
The Trace approach of offering customized projects at customized prices, has proven to be far less risky than approaching genealogists we don’t know – sometimes in areas thousands of miles away. This is an efficient way to guide you safely toward the most qualified researchers that can help identity relatives, locate documents and confirm relationships. Their process is designed to feel mentored rather than managed, like a Sherpa guiding you up the mountain with your luggage on his back, rather than a concierge recommending night-life hot spots. If you’d like to explore the cost and process of hiring a professional researcher, visit Trace.com today.
Again, I’ve worked out a great deal for my readers. To begin your personal genealogical research project you just need to fill out the short form letting Trace know what you would like help with.
Once you do, an experienced professional matched specifically to your needs will contact you. This expert will then review your family history research and create a custom research proposal designed to perfectly tackle your problem. And, for a very short time, GenealogyBlog readers can get this specialized review of their research for just $99 (that’s a $51 savings over the normal $150 fee).
This $99 rate is only for GenealogyBlog readers and it expires this next Monday, May 25. Fill out the short form and get started.
Again – Have you ever wished that you could get expert help with your family history research, but weren’t sure where to turn? Or, perhaps, you were worried about the high cost? If so, Trace can help. Trace offers a simple and affordable way to get help with your family history research problems by utilizing their unique network of over 4000 genealogy professionals, with access to over 2000 archives and repositories from over 90 countries around the world. You have nothing to lose – and ancestors to gain. Take a moment to fill out a short form at Trace right now – and advance your family’s history today.
