Why I Chose Genealogy
The following reasons are why I chose genealogy for a career...
1. Job Flexibility: As a genealogist I can be my own boss, or I can work for other companies. I can (a.) work from home, (b.) start my own business, and/or (c.) work for other employers. For a list of job opportunities available to genealogists, please click here and read the article "What Professions are available for Genealogists."
2. Income: Genealogists usually start out making $20-25 an hour. Although, the most sought after genealogists have made $50-100 per hour. It might not pay as well as being a doctor, but it's far above minimum wage!
3. The Price of becoming a Professional: To become a professional, one must pass the requirements given by one of two different organizations, ICAPGen or the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG). Both facilities are similar, however, neither require degrees in order to become a professional. However, their methods of testing are rigorous and will weed out the hobbyist from the professional.
According to Sister Jensen (who oversees a major portion of the Family History Library in Riverton, Utah), accreditation from ICAPGen is the "equivalent of a Masters Degree." She even expounded that employers are more willing to hire an Accredited Genealogist with no degree over an unaccredited genealogist with a degree any day of the week. Jensen said she had seen this happen many times.
In other words, I can pay as much,or as little, as I want for my education in order to accomplish my goals. At the current rate, I will become a professional with no debt and for the price of a college certificate. How many other careers provide that?
4. Education Flexibility: I can choose the educational methods I want in order to accomplish my goals. College and formal education are not requirements for testing at ICAPGen or the BCG. If I wanted, I could just learn on my own until I was ready for testing. I could watch webinars, join historical and genealogical organizations, and/or take classes (credit or non-credit from colleges and/or other organizations). If I wanted I could get a degree, a certificate, or neither. I choose the right path for me. (Although I have not verified this, I heard from a credible source that BYU has done away with genealogical degrees, but their student's may get genealogical minors with their degrees.)
1. Job Flexibility: As a genealogist I can be my own boss, or I can work for other companies. I can (a.) work from home, (b.) start my own business, and/or (c.) work for other employers. For a list of job opportunities available to genealogists, please click here and read the article "What Professions are available for Genealogists."
2. Income: Genealogists usually start out making $20-25 an hour. Although, the most sought after genealogists have made $50-100 per hour. It might not pay as well as being a doctor, but it's far above minimum wage!
3. The Price of becoming a Professional: To become a professional, one must pass the requirements given by one of two different organizations, ICAPGen or the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG). Both facilities are similar, however, neither require degrees in order to become a professional. However, their methods of testing are rigorous and will weed out the hobbyist from the professional.
According to Sister Jensen (who oversees a major portion of the Family History Library in Riverton, Utah), accreditation from ICAPGen is the "equivalent of a Masters Degree." She even expounded that employers are more willing to hire an Accredited Genealogist with no degree over an unaccredited genealogist with a degree any day of the week. Jensen said she had seen this happen many times.
In other words, I can pay as much,or as little, as I want for my education in order to accomplish my goals. At the current rate, I will become a professional with no debt and for the price of a college certificate. How many other careers provide that?
4. Education Flexibility: I can choose the educational methods I want in order to accomplish my goals. College and formal education are not requirements for testing at ICAPGen or the BCG. If I wanted, I could just learn on my own until I was ready for testing. I could watch webinars, join historical and genealogical organizations, and/or take classes (credit or non-credit from colleges and/or other organizations). If I wanted I could get a degree, a certificate, or neither. I choose the right path for me. (Although I have not verified this, I heard from a credible source that BYU has done away with genealogical degrees, but their student's may get genealogical minors with their degrees.)
How I Chose Genealogy
Once again, my name is Sarah Gibbons and the genealogy bug bit me about six years ago. I've been hooked ever since. What can I say... it bit me hard!
Currently, I'm working toward becoming an Accredited Genealogist (an A.G.). This credential is given from the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). I feel so lucky to turn my love of family history into a career!
My mother was the one who sparked my interest in Family History. I was raised with this information in my home, so my curiosity grew naturally with time, and I soon found my self a hobbyist. However, it was my grandmother who brought it to my attention that I could be a professional genealogist.
I originally wanted to go to school for art. Although I love all sorts of arts and crafts, it just wasn't right for my career. After that I struggled for a long time trying to figure out what I should do with my life.
Finally, my grandmother came to me and asked, "Sarah, you love genealogy right?" "Yes," I replied. "Well why don't you do that for a living?" I was dumbfounded. I tried to protest that genealogical work wasn't a career, but my grandmother was persistent. She continued to express that it was a viable career choice and that she had personally known a successful genealogist. My grandmother mentioned the people she knew who wanted to go to school to become professional genealogists, and she even showed me a newspaper article with statistics about how the field is to grow exponentially over the next few years (including more job opportunities).
In the end, I was finally convinced that becoming a professional genealogist was the right path for me. However, I didn't know where to start. What did I need to do to become a professional and what educational options were open to me? After much research, I decided to get a certificate in genealogy from Salt Lake Community College (SLCC).
Currently, I'm working toward becoming an Accredited Genealogist (an A.G.). This credential is given from the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). I feel so lucky to turn my love of family history into a career!
My mother was the one who sparked my interest in Family History. I was raised with this information in my home, so my curiosity grew naturally with time, and I soon found my self a hobbyist. However, it was my grandmother who brought it to my attention that I could be a professional genealogist.
I originally wanted to go to school for art. Although I love all sorts of arts and crafts, it just wasn't right for my career. After that I struggled for a long time trying to figure out what I should do with my life.
Finally, my grandmother came to me and asked, "Sarah, you love genealogy right?" "Yes," I replied. "Well why don't you do that for a living?" I was dumbfounded. I tried to protest that genealogical work wasn't a career, but my grandmother was persistent. She continued to express that it was a viable career choice and that she had personally known a successful genealogist. My grandmother mentioned the people she knew who wanted to go to school to become professional genealogists, and she even showed me a newspaper article with statistics about how the field is to grow exponentially over the next few years (including more job opportunities).
In the end, I was finally convinced that becoming a professional genealogist was the right path for me. However, I didn't know where to start. What did I need to do to become a professional and what educational options were open to me? After much research, I decided to get a certificate in genealogy from Salt Lake Community College (SLCC).
Why I Chose Salt Lake Community College
As mentioned in previous sections, formal education is not a requirement for the ICAPGen (or BCG) testing. So why did I pick Salt Lake Community College (SLCC)?
Basically, no matter how much research I did on my own I was always lacking (even though I had over 4000 hours of experience). The problem was that I didn't know what I didn't know, so it was impossible for me to learn what I needed to become a professional.
Thanks to taking just six classes at SLCC, I now feel confident I'm ready for testing. The program at SLCC revealed my weak areas so I was able to work on them. It helped bridge the gap between where I was, and where I'm trying to go.
The following reasons are why I feel SLCC is the #1 choice for budding genealogists:
- Class Flexibility: Currently, all genealogy classes are online. This is wonderful as anyone in any state can receive this education. Heck, as long as you have a laptop and an internet connection you could travel and learn at the same time! I was able to do my homework around my daily activities instead of the other way around. The only downside is that these classes are strenuous. Each class is three credit hours which should total nine hours of work each week. However, most students spend 18-20 hours a week for one three-credit-hour class. On the positive side, SLCC has credit hour and non-credit hours classes (and the non-credit classes are much cheaper, but may not qualify for the SLCC genealogical certificate).
- The Certificate Program and Affordability: Currently, SLCC has a certificate program for genealogists. Paying for a certificate is much more affordable than paying for a degree. As stated previously, a degree is not necessary for becoming a professional. Just know the SLCC certificate is NOT the same as becoming a Certified Genealogist from the BCG (one of the two organizations with the authority to deem an individual as a professional genealogist). Back to the point, the certificate program is six classes and 18 credit hours. I just earned my genealogical certificate from SLCC with no students debts.
- An Degree down the road: Although SLCC only has a certificate program, they may create an associates degree down the road (if it looks beneficial for students). In addition, credit hour classes may transfer to other schools. If so, get as many of the required classes at a cheaper price from SLCC then finish up at the school you desire.
- The Genealogy Department and Teachers: Most of the genealogy department and teachers at SLCC are professional genealogists from ICAPGen and/or the BCG. Many have been on the testing boards for these organizations, so they know what they are talking about and what to teach. I feel comfortable knowing that the curriculum from SLCC will help me get where I want to go. Another cool fact is that many of these teachers also teach at BYU. In other words, I'm getting a high class education for a budget price! Try to beat that!
For more information about the Genealogy Program at SLCC, please click here.
If you have more questions, feel free to contact the Genealogy Department at SLCC. They have always been great at answering my questions. You can contact Maria Griffin at phone# (801) 957-5423 or through email from the SLCC webpage (click here).
About Me
Hmmm... this is a tough topic as I'm kind of a private person, and I plan to keep this blog public. I will say this, I'm a person who loves to learn. I love to sew, paint, draw, crochet, knit, and cook... the sky's the limit! Arts and Crafts are my second passion (after genealogy of course). I love to write and hope to create many family history books as well as some fiction books one day. For a small sampling of my work, please visit my eportfolio webpage:
http://sarahgibbonseportfolio.weebly.com/
(Just keep in mind the website above was a mandatory portfolio for SLCC. Although it's a nice little website, I don't know if I will continue to add to it. Right now I think LinkedIn is a better portfolio for potential clients. To visit my LinkedIn page, follow the link below. You will have to login, and most of my profile is not public):
https://www.linkedin.com/
However, my religion and my family is what I hold most dear to my heart. I will not go into details about my family, but I am a Christian belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many people may be more familiar with my Church's nicknames of LDS or the Mormon Church.
I believe in the same Jesus of Nazareth born to Joseph and the virgin Mary in Bethlehem. The same Jesus who Matthew, Mark and Luke wrote about (and so forth), and who was crucified for the sins of the world. I also believe that prophets are not a thing of the past, but are among the world today. For more information about my religion and what I believe, please visit the following websites:
www.lds.org
www.mormon.org
http://sarahgibbonseportfolio.weebly.com/
(Just keep in mind the website above was a mandatory portfolio for SLCC. Although it's a nice little website, I don't know if I will continue to add to it. Right now I think LinkedIn is a better portfolio for potential clients. To visit my LinkedIn page, follow the link below. You will have to login, and most of my profile is not public):
https://www.linkedin.com/
However, my religion and my family is what I hold most dear to my heart. I will not go into details about my family, but I am a Christian belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many people may be more familiar with my Church's nicknames of LDS or the Mormon Church.
I believe in the same Jesus of Nazareth born to Joseph and the virgin Mary in Bethlehem. The same Jesus who Matthew, Mark and Luke wrote about (and so forth), and who was crucified for the sins of the world. I also believe that prophets are not a thing of the past, but are among the world today. For more information about my religion and what I believe, please visit the following websites:
www.lds.org
www.mormon.org