Professional Development courses and certificates offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies to reach your professional genealogical career goals. Blog Post: http://blog.genealogicalstudies.com/2022/04/research-a-z-professional/

US Mortality Schedules  

The U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules are a supplemental schedule to the “every ten year” population schedules and are available for the census years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.  The census enumerators were required to gather the census information for the population schedules in addition to determining if any family member had died during the previous 12 months before the date the census was taken.…

Client Management 

When you first started your genealogy business, you perhaps did a few projects for family members to get some experience and work out the details of your offerings and fees.  At some point, you began actively marketing to obtain new clients.  Depending on how long you have been in business, you probably now have had some experience with actual, paying clients.  …

Shannon Bennett, Student

A good story can captivate the hearts and minds of listeners for years. Sometimes, when you have heard a story repeatedly, you can pick up the little embellishments and the differences that occur as a story develops and changes. Family stories are the same way. They captivated us as children, intrigued us as adults, and are information to be proved as genealogists.…

Previous Research  

Sometimes we get so caught up in the thrill of the hunt for our ancestors that we might not always practice good research techniques.  We find a document, pull a few bits from it, put it aside, and move on to the next search.  This is why reviewing the research we have already done should always be the first step when trying to break down a brick wall.…

Some Vital Record Alternatives 

You’re familiar with birth, marriage, and death records but what are some other record types that can help you discover information when the vital records can’t be found? 

• Probate Records. If you know where a person died, check to see if…

Client Proposals  

Many genealogy researchers charge for their services on an hourly basis.  This is simple to administer and easy for the client to understand.  However, some clients are uncomfortable with an open-ended expense.  One way to deal with this is to tell the client an upfront estimate of the number of hours expected for a given project.  As an alternative, some genealogists simple quote their clients a flat fee, which is fine as long as the…

Creating Your Research Reports  

The process of writing a research report is a great way to capture your analysis and collect your thoughts.  Although your report does not have to be a formal document, you will want to include your name, the date of the report, and the research question.   …

Social Security Death Index  

You can view the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) online via many genealogy websites including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, GenealogyBank, Fold3, and Findmypast.  A person who died before 1962 is not likely to be on the SSDI.  If the date of a person’s death is known, and that person is not on the SSDI, it is likely the family never filed for the death benefit.  …

 Marketing Management  

Constantly be on the lookout for great marketing strategies, even if the businesses are not within the realm of genealogy.  Some of the major elements of marketing are: 

• Promotion/Displays 
• Public…

Sales Management

Marketing goes hand in hand with sales, as it provides a way to get the word out about your services and products, and a way to attract prospective clients. In a small business, however, the owner is often the only salesperson, marketing director, and grunt, along with everything else!  …

Research Logs 101

Are you using a research log? The first step in reviewing the research you have completed to-date is to refer to your research log. Unfortunately, when many of us start our genealogy journey, keeping track of our findings is likely the last thing on our mind. 

Typically, a research…

PRESS RELEASE

January 29, 2014; Utica, OH: 

2013 has been a whirlwind of excitement for The In-Depth Genealogist. We collaborated with Conference Keeper on #genchat, and it was a great success. We have listened to the participants that were requesting we host more #genchats.  You asked, we are…

Got a Windows Mobile based device? With the new Pocket Genealogist 4.0 you can easily transfer your Legacy Family Tree files, including pictures, from your PC to your PocketPC 2003 or Windows Mobile 5/6 device.

And while you are at the cemetery or the library, you can add or edit information and when you get home, Pocket Genealogist will sync with and update your Legacy files on your PC - no GEDCOM…