Some people are quite amazing when it comes to research. They are able to dig up those little facts that link together to create new awareness and insight. It takes a special person to be a good researcher. You need to be good with details, persistent, and trust your instinct that tells you when you are on to something.
If you are good at researching, consider putting your skills to great use and become a genealogical researcher. You can help others find long-lost family members, put together a complete picture of their family history and help create accurate historical records.
Choose Your Specialty
You can decide to become either a general genealogical researcher or you can also specialize. If you find that a certain region of the country or family situation interests you, then consider specializing in that area. For example, if you are interested in helping adopted individuals put together their family tree, there is certainly a demand for that. If you are interested in European settlers and genealogy, then you could specialize in that as well.
Set Up Your Business
As a genealogical researcher you will be a self-employed individual, which means you must take measures to register your business both with the Federal government and your state government, as well as financially. Open a business bank account, write a business plan and create a marketing strategy.
Your marketing strategy will likely include a website, social networking and building a reputation as a top genealogical researcher. That means generating good word-of-mouth from your clients.
Gather Your Resources
Most of your work will be done in a home office; however, you may often find yourself at the library or hall of records. You will need a computer with an internet connection, email, a telephone, and a fax machine, as well as reliable transportation to travel to the various organizations where records are housed.
Finally, you will want to ensure that you have an organized system for keeping your records. Being a genealogical researcher is akin to putting together a puzzle. The pieces will begin to come together as your research progresses. However, if your information is disorganized, it can be extremely difficult to see the whole picture.
Becoming a genealogical researcher can be an enjoyable, interesting and rewarding business. You are able to put your highly specialized skills to good use, help others and earn a nice income.