{"id":60915,"date":"2020-08-19T11:33:03","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T15:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=60915"},"modified":"2023-12-20T13:49:03","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T18:49:03","slug":"how-to-become-a-genealogist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/how-to-become-a-genealogist.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Genealogist: Professional Career Guidance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Thinking of becoming a professional genealogist?<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you\u2019ve been researching your own family for years, and find it very fulfilling. You\u2019re thinking you\u2019d like to dive into research for others.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s undoubtedly a very rewarding field. There\u2019s nothing like discovering something new and exciting about your own family history. And it\u2019s also exciting if you can help other people discover their history.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60919\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-60919\" style=\"width: 409px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/photo-0819-2020-family-tree.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-60919\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/photo-0819-2020-family-tree.png\" alt=\"Photo: lineage of a family, c. 1809\" width=\"409\" height=\"593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/photo-0819-2020-family-tree.png 409w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/photo-0819-2020-family-tree-207x300.png 207w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 409px) 100vw, 409px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-60919\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: lineage of a family, c. 1809. Credit: Rodolph; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On the other hand, it can be hard to get started without the right information. Luckily, we\u2019re here to answer your most significant \u201chow to become a genealogist\u201d questions and get you moving forward on the right path.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Skills to Become a Genealogist<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re considering working as a professional genealogist, here are some of the skills you need to develop.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Genealogical Skills<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re wondering how to become a professional genealogist, assessing your skills is the first step. These are the primary skills that you will need throughout your genealogy career:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Excellent research skills and the ability to work with historical records are vital. You should also consider having a genealogical specialty, such as publishing family histories or using military records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>You must also evaluate your capacity for future learning that will allow you to develop your genealogical expertise. This can include anything from taking a genealogy certification class online to attending conferences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Business Skills<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Apart from genealogical skills, you also need to have sound business skills. Remember, you are providing a service as a professional genealogist, so you need to handle the business side of it as well.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This includes everything a business might need, from accounting to marketing. You also need to learn time management and customer service. It might not be the most exciting part of how to become an accredited genealogist, but it\u2019s a critical necessity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Necessary Knowledge for Becoming a Genealogist<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Certifications and Accreditations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When people are trying to figure out how to become a licensed genealogist in the fastest way possible, the answer is always to get certified. Not only is it proof of your genealogical skills that you can show to potential clients, but it\u2019s also a measure of your current skills, so you\u2019ll know where to improve.<\/p>\n<p>The recommended certifications you\u2019ll want to get are offered by the <a href=\"https:\/\/bcgcertification.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Board for Certification of Genealogists<\/a> (BCG). There are six different categories you can apply for, each for a specific area of genealogical expertise.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Educational Books and Seminars<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Expanding any skill is a lifelong process, and it\u2019s no different with genealogy. One of the best tips for how to become a certified genealogist is to never stop learning.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need to keep up with new knowledge by reading a lot of journals, magazines, and case studies on the topic. Scour genealogical books as well.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also worthwhile to attend seminars and workshops. There, you can learn directly from experts in your field. Both the <a href=\"https:\/\/fgs.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federation of Genealogical Societies<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ngsgenealogy.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Genealogical Society<\/a> hold annual nationwide conferences.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Networking and Community<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When people are looking for resources on how to become a genealogist, one of the things they overlook is the genealogical community. Tapping into the collective wisdom of these groups is a fantastic way to fast track your development as a genealogist. It\u2019s something that you\u2019ll be hard-pressed to do on your own.<\/p>\n<p>Be sure to get in touch with genealogists in your area. The best way to do this is to join genealogical societies in your locality. Better yet, you can volunteer some of your free time to help them out. Doing so allows you to mingle and interact with their genealogists and to pick up wisdom along the way.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t limit your networking to genealogists, though. You shouldn\u2019t forget the other vital players when working in genealogy, such as archivists and librarians. Both can offer a wealth of insight when it comes to research.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are You Ready to Become a Genealogist?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been thinking about how to become a professional genealogist online, then you most likely have a passion for it. Maybe you\u2019ve been researching your family history, and you find it exciting. After all, it\u2019s always amazing to discover something about your ancestors and how they lived.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you\u2019re passionate enough that you want to help others discover their family history. Or maybe you want to explore other related careers like being a librarian, archivist, or consultant.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever your purpose is, be sure you\u2019re ready for it. Genealogy can be a rewarding but demanding field that requires skills in multiple disciplines like business, writing, and communication. It\u2019s a lifelong pursuit that will require never-ending learning and practice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Get the Tools You Need with GenealogyBank<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of the best assets for a professional genealogist is quick and easy access to a wealth of historical information. Here at GenealogyBank, that\u2019s what we do. We are one of the world\u2019s premier repositories for historical data on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/explore\/all-obits\">obituaries<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/explore\/newspapers\/all\">newspaper archives<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/explore\/census\/all\">U.S. census records<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/sign-up\">Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re considering working as a professional genealogist, here are some of the skills you need to develop. Learn more today with GenealogyBank!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":60929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12713],"tags":[1036,12],"class_list":["post-60915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genealogy-research-tips","tag-genealogists","tag-genealogy"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/photo-0819-2020-featured-graphic-family-history-bible.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60915"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96629,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60915\/revisions\/96629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}