Those with little time for genealogical pursuits, or for whom speed in gathering information is important, may find this a worthwhile expenditure. A professional may have more experience with specific records or repositories and will, therefore, be able to do the research much faster. It is less expensive to hire a professional genealogist than to travel to the site of the records. Many different services are offered by professionals. The primary services provided are record searching and complete family history research.
Costs vary according to the nature of the work requested.
If it is a specific task, such as to locate and make a copy of a specific record, the cost may be as low as an hour or two of time at the professional's established rate. It is the responsibility of the person doing the hiring to direct the professional by knowing and communicating exactly what is wanted. When uncertain, the customer should discuss the problem with the researcher. Most professionals have experience in many areas and will assist in defining goals. In addition, one may reasonably expect an ethical professional genealogist to say if, in his or her professional opinion, research has hit a brick wall or if it may be too expensive to realize specific goals.