How can I find a competent and trustworthy paid researcher?
How can I find a competent and trustworthy paid researcher to help our family with finding more of our Welsh Ancestors? What should I expect from him/her so that I can be reasonably sure that I am receiving a fair return on my investment? I would appreciate hearing what works and does not work.
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That is a great question! While we cannot promote any specific person's business in FamilySeach, I hope to answer your question as best as I can.
The biggest thing you want to do is see examples of the work the researcher has done in the past. What do you want them to do for you? A lot of researchers spend time writing their detailed report as part of their paid time. Do you want a report or just a detailed research log? Do you want them to give you assignments or do you want them to do it all?
Don't be afraid to ask a LOT of questions. That is key. Don't be afraid to ask if they do some different things for you. Be very thorough with your interview of them and go into it with a very clear expectation of what YOU want from them. And ask them what they will expect to do for you in exchange for your payment.
You can also request check-ins at certain intervals so you can see what they are doing.
You can also request to start with a smaller amount of hours so you can try them out and see what they are doing with your time. If the shorter time period is sufficient, then you can contract for a larger time period.
Don't hesitate to talk about what they are doing and ask why if you feel they are not doing what you need them to. BUT, make sure you ask if the phone calls or emails are something they include in their contracted time. Most do, some don't. But it's good to know that ahead of time.
For searching... Word of mouth is the best way. Talk to others who have used someone for the same type of research you need. You can find web sites that list accredited genealogists that list their area of expertise. A lot of them have facebook pages and more.
I hope that helps!
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Brilliant! Thank you for the guidance! Much obliged!
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