Jobs in genealogy

FTGE4 · 22-04-2015 10:44pm #1

Does anyone know if any research company in Ireland is offering jobs in genealogy apart from Ancestry? Is their research operation move to Dublin linked to creating an index to the National Library parish registers? What are the job options, even part time? I'm new to this forum but not to genealogy.

Coolnabacky1873 · 22-04-2015 11:32pm

Ancestry's in-house research team, ProGenealogists, are hiring 4 genealogists. It's not linked to the NLI parish register release.

Eneclann is another genealogy/history research company that has a small staff of researchers. Ancestor Network is a collaboration of independent professionals. The county heritage centers have people who work with the records that each center has and they are part of the Irish Family History Foundation organization.

Other than that, genealogists are almost always self-employed.

FTGE4 · 23-04-2015 8:54pm

Thanks so much Coolnabacky. I'm confused between Ancestry and Ancestor Network. I didn't know there were two organisations with the same name, almost. Is Network the organisation with trainees giving advice in the Genealogical Office? I thought that was Ancestry.com. I started a course of classes a few years back but didn't complete. One of the girls on the course completed it and she told me you could apply for the advice work if you joined the APGI. Would that be worth doing? Sorry for being so confused. I haven't been at the work end of genealogy, just doing my own research. I'm more clued in to the records than the business stuff.

Jellybaby1 · 23-04-2015 9:06pm

I'm an amateur researcher researching my own family and helping friends out but I do know that the APGI are the professional body of genealogists in Ireland. They don't let you join them unless you can prove that you are a 'professional' i.e. that you have worked as a genealogist and received payment for that work. However, if you are not already a professional you can check their website out regarding an affiliate membership. http://www.apgi.ie/join.html

Coolnabacky1873 · 23-04-2015 9:09pm

You can learn more about what Ancestor Network does on their website. I don't know about the exact workings of the relationship (if any) between APGI and Ancestor Network.

Ancestry.com opened an office in Dublin a couple of years ago but that has only been for tech/customer support for their European market. The pro genealogist jobs they recently advertised is their first foray into the professional genealogy market in Ireland.

Jellybaby1 · 23-04-2015 9:12pm

Just a thought. If Ancestry is getting into the genealogy market here, does that mean they will access my family tree on Ancestry and use it for their business, or is my tree safe from any intrusion?

pinkypinky · 23-04-2015 10:22pm

Eneclann & Ancestor network each field a group of people who assist in running the Genealogy Advice Service in the NLI. They have to tender for it every year and people are asked to be part of it again. You need to have completed the UCD course (or equivalent) to be on the panel.

The National Archive group doing similar work is made up of APGI people, afaik.

L1011 · 24-04-2015 8:12am

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Just a thought. If Ancestry is getting into the genealogy market here, does that mean they will access my family tree on Ancestry and use it for their business, or is my tree safe from any intrusion?

Check the terms and conditions - whatever rights you granted them by agreeing to that will eventually be used to their advantage, that's guaranteed.

KildareFan · 24-04-2015 9:56am

You can keep your family tree private on Ancestry so no one else can access it. If you make it public anyone can find it using google, or the search function on Ancestry. There's a trade off between public/private. If you find details on your family on another public family tree it can fill in gaps, knock down brick walls, even allow you to make contact with relations. I was contacted by someone who had her family tree private, about my gg aunt who was on my public tree - this gg aunt had disappeared and I could never find out what happened to her. It turned out that the same gg aunt had eloped to England when she was 15, and she was the great grandmother of the husband of the person who contacted me. Through that one contact I was able to add a couple of hundred descendants to the tree

pedroeibar1 · 24-04-2015 10:36am

KildareFan wrote: »

You can keep your family tree private on Ancestry so no one else can access it. If you make it public anyone can find it using google, or the search function on Ancestry. There's a trade off between public/private. If you find details on your family on another public family tree it can fill in gaps, knock down brick walls, even allow you to make contact with relations. I was contacted by someone who had her family tree private, about my gg aunt who was on my public tree - this gg aunt had disappeared and I could never find out what happened to her. It turned out that the same gg aunt had eloped to England when she was 15, and she was the great grandmother of the husband of the person who contacted me. Through that one contact I was able to add a couple of hundred descendants to the tree

Hope they did not come to visit their new-found cousin! None of the geno companies has the right to use personal data without permission. If anyone is concerned about what they signed they should ask for a copy of the rules.

FTGE4 · 24-04-2015 6:37pm

Thanks for all the advice. I don't see why you need to do a UCD course to be a helper in the Genealogy Advice Service at the National Library. I've been doing research for years. I didn't finish the course I was doing (not UCD) because I didn't learn anything new in it. I know as much about research and more than some of the helpers. Some of the advice I overheard sometimes made my toes curl.

I looked at the APGI web page. I understand now it provides accreditation for established professionals. But how do you get established? The affiliate membership sounds great but its not for people in full time employment. I thought you could just join and get working. Is there not something like a trade union for genealogists? I know about the GSI and the IGSR and the Irish Family History Society but they are for everyone not professional researchers.

Coolnabacky1873 · 24-04-2015 8:30pm

When working as a pro genealogist, knowing about the different types of records and where to find then is obviously a fundamental part of genealogy. However, that is not enough.

You have to be able to correctly cite sources, develop a client research journal, understand advanced research methodologies, and be able to critically evaluate primary and secondary sources. You also have to have excellent writing skills to be able to correctly compile a report that has to convey a large amount of potentially complex information in a way that is easy to understand. Relevant academic qualifications can teach you those skills.

There is no obligation to join the APGI if you want to become a professional. Like any other industry, if you think you are good enough, you can just get out there and start working. But, being a member says that you have reached an acceptable level of standard, as judged by your peers, and it provides recourse for clients if they are unhappy with your work. You can also avail of continual professional development and the insight of other professionals in the industry.

SIPTU would probably be the relevant trade union for a genealogist to join. In genealogy, CIGO is probably the closest body to a trade/lobby group and is open to pros and non-pros alike.

pinkypinky · 24-04-2015 9:41pm

FTGE4 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice. I don't see why you need to do a UCD course to be a helper in the Genealogy Advice Service at the National Library.

My understanding is twofold: by achieving the completion of a third level accredited course, you prove you have learnt the requisite skills, sources, etc.* Secondly, the NLI can say that all their GAS team have university qualifications in the subject matter.

*Which Coolnabacky said more eloquently than me.

Jobs in genealogy

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