Professional genealogists are records experts, research scholars, teachers, and entrepreneurs. Those who are the most successful combine all of these qualities. Most come into the field from other professions. First drawn to genealogy as a fascinating hobby, they discover its complexities and come to appreciate its rigor. They progress from "looking up names" to learning records, the laws under which those records were created, and the social and linguistic quirks that affect the interpretation of historic documents. They learn how the principles of scholarship—thorough research and documentation, skilled evidence analysis, and peer collaboration and review—apply to the discipline of genealogy. As they develop expertise in special areas, they seek forums to share that knowledge, through lecturing, teaching, and writing. Ultimately, they seek credentials—certification or accreditation—that attest their skill and knowledge.

Some professional genealogists are employed as librarians, archivists, editors or research assistants to established professionals; others work for genealogical firms. Most, however, choose self-employment-learning business principles to ensure the success of their genealogical practice. As with other entrepreneurial fields, most make the move gradually from their original field of employment, building a practice-be it a client base, writing outlets, or some other venue-before moving full-time into genealogy. Some make this career switch in mid-life. Others choose genealogy as a second career upon retirement from their first one. Because genealogical degree programs are still relatively rare, only a few enjoy the opportunity to make genealogy their first career.

No accurate count exists for the number of individuals employed as genealogists, full-time and part-time. However, professional affiliations provide an approximation of the number who are seriously engaged and offer tested expertise to their clients. The Association of Professional Genealogists, founded in 1979, www.apgen.org has more than 1,500 members from more than a dozen countries, although most are U.S. residents. The Washington, D.C.-based Board for Certification of Genealogists, founded in 1964, www.bcgcertification.org, has more than 300 currently certified genealogists nationwide who have passed the Board's rigorous examination process and who undergo retesting every five years. The Utah-based International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen), www.icapgen.org, lists some 172 professional genealogists who have passed its examinations within the facilities and resources of Salt Lake City's Family History Library.

Are you tempted by the thought of turning your love for research into a career? Many paths and forums exist to help you reach that goal.

• Study Val Greenwood's Researchers Guide to American Genealogy for a basic introduction to genealogical methods and sources.
• Join the National Genealogical Society and dissect every case study in every issue of The National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) until you understand the methodology each author employed. Register for the comprehensive NGS Home Study Course in American Genealogy and the briefer NGS Online Courses.
• Apply to attend Samford University's Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (Birmingham, Alabama), offered for one week every June until you complete its advanced methodology, advanced library research, and professional tracks. (Completion of the NGS Home Study Course qualifies you for admission to the IGHR's advanced classes, without going through the institute's beginner and intermediate tracks.)
• Buy, read, and re-read cover to cover, Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians. Edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, its 29 chapters by two dozen leading professional genealogists provides core instruction in professional preparation, ethics, legalities, and career management, as well as standards for professional-level skills in research, writing, editing, publishing, and educational services.
• Apply to attend the National Institute for Genealogical Research, an advanced course of instruction that is based at the National Archives and focuses on the holdings of that facility. Enrollment is extremely limited; successful applicants go on the waiting list a year or so in advance.
• Visit the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) website (www.apgen.org), and follow the link "Becoming a Professional Genealogist." Sign up for the association's "open" list-serve, APG-L, hosted by www.rootsweb.com, and monitor the discussions of professionals and others who subscribe to the list to learn professional standards.
• Join APG and read its quarterly. Plan to attend the APG professional management conference held in conjunction with the FGS conference at least every two years.
• Buy The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual, study the examples of research reports and family compilations in the book's appendixes, and strive to do work that emulates the examples, meets the standards, and adheres to the Board's code of ethics.
• Explore the BCG website (www.bcgcertification.org), read its "Skillbuilders," and complete its document-analysis exercises as part of your educational process. Subscribe to the Board's educational newsletter, OnBoard. If you feel you have adequate knowledge and skills to earn certification credentials, take the website's quick "Are you ready to apply?" test, then consider preparing your own portfolio for submission. A professional credential is a powerful offering when you open a professional practice.
• Attend at least one national-level (NGS or FGS) genealogy conference per year. See www.ngsgenealogy.org/confnatl.cfm and www.fgs.org/fgs-conference.htm.
• Look for the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) "Skillbuilding Track," which is offered at periodically at the NGS and FGS conferences.
• When you have done family research that meets its criteria, enter NGS's Family History Writing Contest. The competition will sharpen your writing and analytical skills, and the judges offer valuable critiques.
• Whenever you solve a difficult research problem, draft a case study for submission to NGSQ. The peer-review process is highly educational. If your article is accepted for publication, it will showcase your expertise before thousands of potential clients.
• Volunteer in your local Family History Center to help others with their research and to broaden your research experience and knowledge of sources.
• To identify other practicing genealogists by state, etc., check the BCG and APG directories, online at www.bcgcertification.org and www.apgen.org, respectively.

As with any significant career, becoming a genealogy professional requires study and research experience over a period of years. The learning curve is steep, but you control the time it takes. The result is a rewarding, fascinating, and challenging profession. We wish you the greatest of success as you pursue it.