Genealogist Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Genealogist resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
If you love digging into the past and discovering new details about your family tree, you might enjoy a career as a genealogist. Genealogists use records like birth certificates, marriage certificates, military records, land deeds, immigration papers, and more to trace family history back through time.
Because it’s such a niche field, you may have trouble finding a job without the right experience or references. But if you love research and have a passion for family history, this could be a great career for you. Here are some tips for writing a great genealogist resume that will help you land an interview.
How to Write a Genealogist Resume
Here’s how to write a genealogist resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. But rather than simply listing your responsibilities, you can use them to tell a story about your work. For example, rather than saying you “conducted research for genealogy project,” you could say you “conducted research for 10-year genealogy project, identifying over 1,000 ancestors and contributing to the creation of a family history book that has been passed down through three generations of the family.”
The second bullet point paints a much more vivid picture of what you did and the impact of your work. And it provides specific numbers to demonstrate your level of involvement in the project.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume online, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. These programs look for certain terms related to the job opening in order to determine whether or not you are a good fit. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, your application might not even make it to a human recruiter.
The best way to make sure you have the right keywords on your resume is to read through job postings and take note of the terms that are used most often. Then, make sure to include those same terms on your resume. Here are some common genealogy keywords:
- Genealogy
- Family History
- Ancestry.com
- Research
- Roots Music
- RootsMagic
- Writing
- Microsoft Access
- Social Media
- Editing
- Time Management
- History
- Teaching
- WordPress
- Data Entry
- Vital Records
- Organization Skills
- Genealogical Research
- Google Maps
- Vitality
- Family History Research
- Customer Service
- Photography
- Computer Literacy
- Communication
- Event Planning
- Research Assistance
- Leadership
- Strategic Planning
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a genealogist, you need to be proficient in a number of software programs and databases in order to do your job effectively. This might include programs like Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic, and Ancestry.com. You should also be familiar with a variety of genealogical databases, such as the U.S. Census, the Social Security Death Index, and the National Archives.