Author Topic: Hiring Professionals  (Read 3784 times)

Offline groom

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Re: Hiring Professionals
« Reply #27 on: Friday 11 March 16 09:30 GMT (UK) »
I think that shows why you shouldn't rely entirely on professional genealogists. Since the increased interest in Family History and related television programmes, quite a few people have now advertised themselves as experts, just because they have done their own and a few other trees. Some are very good and admit if they can't find things,but others unfortunately, as shown by Rosinish, make mistakes. These go unnoticed as most people who have hired a professional just accept what they are given - why check it if you've paid someone to do it?

Genealogy is a fun hobby and getting someone else to do the basic work takes that fun and the sense of ownership away. I think the only time I would consider using a professional is if I was stuck on a specific area where I had no way of getting access to records. Even then I would be very careful who I chose.
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Offline AntonyMMM

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Re: Hiring Professionals
« Reply #28 on: Friday 11 March 16 10:56 GMT (UK) »
I would recommend having a go at doing the research yourself, making those discoveries is 90% of the enjoyment of knowing your family history.

If you hit a real brick wall, need advice on a specialist area, or work done in a particular archive then you can consider professional help at that point.

If you do, you should carefully look at the qualifications and experience of the person you choose - in the UK, you should be looking for full membership of AGRA or ASGRA.

Offline C_W

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Re: Hiring Professionals
« Reply #29 on: Friday 11 March 16 11:08 GMT (UK) »
Some county family history societies offer a search service. They often hold cd's or booklets on churchyard inscriptions etc. I recently got a inscription found (I knew the church) for a very reasonable price of £1.50.

Offline a-l

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Re: Hiring Professionals
« Reply #30 on: Friday 11 March 16 11:11 GMT (UK) »
I hired a ' professional' just the once in the hope that she could break my brickwall . She didn't find anything that I didn't already know and nothing towards breaking that wall. It was a waste of money. Online I have seen trees done by ' professionals' containing births years after the baptism and births years after the mother has died. As a non professional I would be ashamed to put my name to it. 


Offline gaffy

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Re: Hiring Professionals
« Reply #31 on: Friday 11 March 16 15:00 GMT (UK) »
Hi mitch_flo...  :)

My understanding is that a "professional" genealogist charges, ie. charging is the defining feature of the description "professional", regardless of competence. 

But grateful for advice from other readers of this post.