How do professional genealogists accomplish so much more?
- Is it simply knowledge; do they know more than you?
- Is it just experience?
- Have they been clued-in to some secret or magic formula?
The magic theory seems to be pretty popular. In fact, it seems to be the belief held by many people that hire a professional genealogist. That's the reason some people will give for not wanting to pay their bill, they say "I could have done this!" clearly expecting a magic formula to have produced results from nothing.
And yes, you could have done it.
If you have the knowledge, which comes from experience. There's no secret professional genealogists have discovered. There is no magic formula.
There is one super, massively important factor.
Organization.
Organization is probably the thread that runs through every professional genealogy skill and separates the really successful (in terms of performance, not money) from the mediocre.
Obviously, every business should be run efficiently. As a hobbyist genealogist, you don't really care about how billable hours are tracked or paperwork is managed. But organization is often the difference between the results from a competent professional and an "amateur" with the same skills and experience.
In fact, this is one of the problems within professional genealogy. I want to mention this quickly because it makes a difference when writing about "professional" genealogy.
What Makes a Professional, Professional?
There are two sides to the word "professional." There's the "Olympic" side, a professional takes money, an amateur doesn't. Olympians used to have to be amateurs (some still do). There's also the ability side. When you're talking about skills, calling someone an amateur is an insult. It's one of the reasons I say "hobbyist" genealogist.
Anyone can claim to be a professional genealogist. It's hard to tell if the person has professional-level skills or if they are just happy to take your money. That's why we have two organizations to certify or accredit genealogists. That takes time, though. It's the time that's the reason you don't see any letters after my name.
Discussing certification/accreditation is several posts and not the purpose of this one. But this does bring me back to organization.
Being certified or accredited relates to genealogical skill. Hiring a certified/accredited genealogist doesn't actually mean you'll get an efficient genealogist. There's a good chance they have some organizational skills (they found the time to be accredited or certified) but that's not the purpose of those credentials.
A professional genealogist, in every sense of the word, has professional-level skills, but they also conduct and manage genealogy professionally, that is, in an organized manner.
The Overlooked Difference
Did you notice I said "conduct and manage genealogy" not "conduct and manage research?"
That's because genealogy is more than research and for a true professional, organization extends beyond just research.
This post is going to focus on research, but the same kind of distinctions apply to managing your set of knowledge (this can be knowledge in your head or your personal reference library which can be physical books and information or virtual). It can apply to managing your genealogical education.
Organized knowledge and education is usually the "magic" a paid professional provides that amazes the hobbyist client. You can achieve that same level of organization, but let's start with research.
Organization is so important in genealogy because genealogy is never-ending. There's always another goal to achieve. Sometimes you're working on one fairly small goal for years.
Luckily, there's already a process to help you deal with this.
How to Research Like a Professional
The genealogical research process is how genealogists keep making progress whether they're using books, photocopies ordered through the mail, or today's online records. It worked in the 20th century, it works in the 21st. The shared organizational structure inherent in the research process, those things that are the same regardless if you use paper or digital options, are key to progress and eventually success. It's when people start cheating the process, and the best organizational aspects, that they get into genealogical trouble.
Cheating the process is what makes even the most knowledgeable and experienced genealogist get amateur results (and if they're taking money from a client, when questions of ethics arise, even if the client requested some cheats to save money--it's a slippery slope!).
Let's take a bird's eye view of how a professional genealogist approaches a problem. Stick with me because even if you think "that's for a professional only, that doesn't apply to me," you might be surprised.
Professional Genealogy Research in a Nutshell
When a client approaches a professional, the professional will need to get certain information from the client. What and how much varies from professional to professional and from project to project. That's where we're starting.
Step One
The professional asks herself:
- Can she do the project?
- Does she have the time?
- Does she have the resources?
Resources include:
- access to the needed records
- skills to use the records
- funds related to record access (photocopy costs, cost of ordering a record, etc.)
Of course, if the client's budget will cover enough hours for what they want is also a consideration. (For example, a non-genealogist who wants their Mayflower ancestors found in five hours is usually a project no one will even consider negotiating over and the professional won't even get to the above considerations).
Once the professional decides to take on the project (based on the above considerations), the project starts.
Step Two
Initial Analysis
This is a review of what has been done, any special considerations, and often a review of the lowest hanging fruit as far as sources (i.e. the easiest things to check to kick-start the project).
Step Three
Research Plan
This isn't really that involved. What question has to be answered first and what source or sources are most likely to answer that question. Remember, this is limited by what sources the professional can access based on the parameters of the project.
Step Four
Research
Follow the plan. This can include ordering records, hiring a contractor to do research or a look-up, or any method to execute the plan.
Step Five
Report on the research
This may not be a report to the client. What's important is all vital information is captured before moving on. Because if it's not, it'll be forgotten and work will have to be re-done.
Now the professional goes back and creates another plan to answer the next question. Rarely is a project done with just one plan but it might be (for example, if someone wants a marriage date and place, it sometimes really is easy and that's where the myth of the secret or magic formula comes from).
Now let's compare.
Here is what many hobbyist genealogists do.
Step One
Decide to "do some genealogy."Step Two
Pick the project of most interest (only excluding projects you know off the top of your head you can't work on).Step Three
Hop on the Internet and see what's there.
Repeat next time you decide to do some genealogy.
What's the Difference in the Amateur and the Professional?
The difference between the two methods has absolutely nothing to do with the genealogists' skills or experience levels.
The difference is organization.
I'm going to be completely honest with you. I absolutely follow the second progression sometimes (for my personal research---never for a client). But here's the thing. When I decide to do some genealogy and hop on the Internet (with pretty much nothing happening in-between), I don't really expect to achieve anything.
I expect the same results as if I decided to watch T.V., or do a puzzle, or crochet. It's something to do to relax. It's actually a problem if I do find something. I don't have my notes ready, I usually don't have time to write up a summary or report. Basically, I know I'll have to re-do this research but I scramble to at least leave myself some breadcrumbs.
The difference is so extreme between the steps I know I need to follow and the three-step cheat above, I think of them in different terms. If I want to "do some genealogy" it's like I want to "do a puzzle." What I yearn for is time to "do some research."
How to "Do Research" Not "Do Some Genealogy"
Accomplishing productive genealogical research involves setting aside some quiet time. Ideally you'll have a full day, maybe two in a row. You'll need access to the material related to your previous research (naturally that's ready to be pulled from your files, right?)
For me, I want quiet time on my dual monitors (notes/report on one monitor, Internet on the other) or at a high-value repository (i.e. not just escaping to the local library).
My favorite is a multi-day trip so I can work on reports at night. This maximizes research time at the repository---I do report as I go but much correlation and analysis and report finalization/planning can be done that night. *sigh* I miss those days.
I'm a mom with school-age children. I originally wrote this post when my oldest was in kindergarten. She's now a teenager and I still don't see the multi-day research trip in my future (maybe when they're in college? If I can afford it and my husband doesn't want to spend the money on his own getaway). In other words, this dream scenario is impractical for many genealogists and definitely for true Occasional Genealogists.
So what's a genealogist to do?
If you've been reading this blog, you've seen bits and pieces of that answer.
Occasional Genealogists have HAVE to be organized. You will never get anywhere if you aren't. You research too infrequently to remember what happened last time (and that's a bad idea, relying on your memory, even if you do research frequently).
But there's a reason genealogists take the three-step cheat.
It's fast.
I understand.
You NEED to work through all five steps I outlined for a professional. Yes, even step one. You need to decide which project to work on using the same criteria as a professional.
As a hobbyist, you need to take notes during step one. Yes, not only do you need to evaluate the feasibility of the project, you need to do a little extra.
You don't just say, "no, I don't want to work on your project." That project is a part of YOUR genealogy, not some random client's. You may not work on it today but you probably need to work on it eventually. Once again...
What's a genealogist to do?
Occasional Genealogists, people that are really busy and only have small amounts of free time for genealogy, need organization. But they need super organization.
- Those five steps need to be broken down into little bitty bites.
- You need a record of what bite you took last and what bite to take next.
It sounds like a lot of extra work, doesn't it?
Honestly, it is. So I've found a way to help you out.
Super Organization for Occasional Genealogists
I've created The Occasional Genealogist Planner + Digital Dashboard. Originally this was just a printable planner to help you have one physical place for genealogy to-dos and for managing your time. But that was back in 2017 and a lot has changed. So now the Planner is supercharged with the Digital Dashboard.
This is a two-for-one product. The Planner is a printable option for those who want a paper genealogy hub. It also includes lists of genealogy suggestions you can pick and choose from to put in your paper Planner or add to the Digital Dashboard (see below).
The Digital Dashboard is a digital option (and therefore more powerful and flexible option) that acts as the first place you go when you're ready for any kind of genealogical work. When you purchase it, it includes additional training so I'm not going to go into all of the things it can do. Instead, let's look at the core features that will help you be better organized and therefore get more from your limited genealogy time.
Made for Short Genealogy Sessions
This is for Occasional Genealogists. First, I've broken the steps of the research process into bite-size pieces for you. It's a printable for the Planner and already entered in one of the tabs in the Dashboard. You don't have to spend time breaking the research process up and then spend time deciding what to do.
You get this organizational tool (and more), designed for Occasional Genealogists and ready to use. Plus you now you have a dedicated place to keep it and similar information that traditionally didn't fit into organizational systems meant to hold ancestral data (names, dates, places, research reports, research notes, etc.). If you prefer to use paper, your one-place is the Planner. If you prefer digital, your one-place is the Digital Dashboard.
This is the original basis for this tool. If you don't want to cheat the research process, you need to remember what you need to do to follow it and when you're short on time, you need to figure out how to break up the process into bite-size bits and do them in order. Doing these two things easily eats up a short genealogy sessions (meaning you didn't actually do anything, because next time you'll have to do this again if you're not organized).
No wonder the research process is constantly cheated by busy genealogists. But not anymore! You've got the process broken up for you. All you need to do is treat it as a checklist you keep in your one-place (Planner or Dashboard). Check off what you've done so you know where to resume next time. That sounds pretty easy, and it is. The hardest part is, without the one-place, this kind of information often gets lost. You might not get back to working on this project soon, or you might need to do something outside the traditional research process.
The Planner+Dashboard is meant to help beyond just research, too.
Beyond Just Research
Let's go back and consider the professional's step one again. This is the step where they decide whether they are capable of completing the project proposed by the client.
Your step one has all the same considerations. But as I mentioned, you don't reject a project and never think of it again. The Planner is also designed to help you "accept" more projects.
How?
There's more to genealogy than just research.
The Planner+Dashboard also has suggestions of organization and education tasks.
- Sometimes you can't start a project because you can't find your notes, or the records you copied.
- Sometimes you don't start a project because it's in an area of research you're unfamiliar with.
- Sometimes you don't start a project because it'll cost money or require travel.
Get Organized from the Start
Organizing the Existing
The Planner+Dashbaord breaks down preparing a project before you even get to the initial analysis/planning stage. When you're an Occasional Genealogist and you try to organize your existing research AND do new research in one sitting, you usually get interrupted and have to start over another time.
By organizing the preparation of a project, you won't' have to repeat work. You'll also have tasks that can be completed in small amounts of time which almost always means you can do genealogy more often (it's just less genealogy at once). If you record your preparation, you'll know that project is ready for the next step and it'll be much easier to pick it up and get started when you have a bit of free time.
Organizing Education
Having a plan for your genealogy education can make a huge impact. Just like picking a project, you may not have time to decide what topic you need to learn about, find the materials, and do the learning all at once. The Planner+Dashbaord provides the same inspiration + organization structure so your genealogy skills can flourish. This will allow you to accomplish more and probably more in less time.
Organizing Your Funds
Finally, I'm sure you've ignored research projects because you can't hop on the internet and work on them. The Planner+Dashboard can't give you inspiration about which project is worth the costs, but it does have tools to help you organize a budget.
Make Your Genealogy Skills Go Pro
Experience and knowledge are necessary to have professional quality genealogy skills. What really makes a difference is organization, though.
As an Occasional Genealogist, it's too easy to skip the organization to try and squeeze in a bit of research. This usually won't take your genealogy very far, in fact, you'll usually be in a loop of repeating part or all of the research you've done before; or maybe you just keeping preparing to research and never do anything new.
Occasional Genealogists that supercharge their organization and break down genealogy into small, organized bites, can do more genealogy and accomplish more. This is the closest you can get to doing professional-quality genealogy in short sessions. It's absolutely possible to achieve the same research results, it'll just take longer than if you did the same amount of work in one long session.
If you're like me and long sessions of genealogy are not in your immediate future, choose super organized, super-short sessions instead. You'll find your genealogy skills will start to go pro.
Learn more about The Occasional Genealogist Planner + Digital Dashboard, here.
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