Before You Hire a Professional

Before you hire a professional researcher:

  • Decide what it is what you really want to know about your ancestor or family.
  • Organize the information you already have. Cite the sources.
  • Ask questions about your family in appropriate online groups or forums. Don’t necessarily hire someone who responds to your question. In many groups soliciting customers from those who ask questions is not allowed.
  • Make certain there’s nothing you have overlooked accessing yourself.
  • Decide specifically what it is you cannot do yourself that you need someone else to do for you.

Grow your research skills with the Genealogy Tip of the Day book.