Diving. Credits: Spaarnestad Photo
For the past several years, I have combined a job as project manager at the National Archives in The Hague with being a freelance genealogist. There are only a few genealogists in the Netherlands who report in English and there are many people of Dutch descent who don’t speak Dutch. As you can imagine, the demand for my services has been much higher than the time I had available. I really enjoy helping people from all over the world find their ancestors from the Netherlands so I have decided to quit my job and focus all my energy on genealogy. It’s a bit scary to give up a permanent position with a fixed income, but I’m heeding the advice of a friend that “you’ll only regret the things you don’t do” and have decided to take the plunge.
Starting September 1st, I will be a full-time genealogist. The main focus will be on doing research for clients who have ancestors from the Netherlands. I will also do consulting for IT-projects, for instance if archives or other heritage institutes want to build a new website or genealogy companies need advice about the genealogy industry in the Netherlands.
My first priority will be to finish my portfolio and submit it to the Board for Certification of Genealogists. If the judges approve of my work, that would make me the first Certified Genealogist in the Netherlands and one of just a handful in Europe. I plan to submit my portfolio by the end of the year.
Besides working on my portfolio, I also have several client projects scheduled. My project calendar is almost fully booked for the rest of the year, but I have plenty of room in 2015. So if you have a brick wall that you would like me to solve, please contact me and inquire about my services.
About Yvette Hoitink
Good luck Yvette and I wish you lots of success!
Good luck and have fun doing it!
Wishing you great success and hope someday to learn how we are related I have followed a genealogist in Sweden who has combined her research work with tours of the ancestral homes and and homeland on a blog called Bridge to Sweden you might consider doing something similar.
Congratulations Yvette. We receive lots of paid requests for research in the Netherlands. We would love to send some your way.
Good luck! I hope you can help a lot of people finding their ancestors and relatives!
Thank you Yvette for your website, it has been of great help for us here in Australia. I’m a member of the Dutch Australian Genealogy group & many of us are not fluent in the language as we all came here at a young age. Some of us are also researching our Dutch partners family.
We wish you all the very best for the future & I’m sure you wont regret it.
Perhaps an article on how to read the “Bevolings Register” would be very helpful.
Regards Elly
Jij start mijn droom en geeft mij hoop!! Dat alles goed mag blijven gaan en heel, heel veel succes!!
Yay! Your blog has helped me with several brick walls on my own Vanden Eynden family. There are so many cultural differences (back in the mid 1800’s) that I could never have found as much info as I have without the knowledge you send out in your blog and newsletters! I know you will have much success and will be in high demand! I guess I better contact you now, before your waiting list gets too long!
Good Luck!
Cheryl
Thank you for your words of encouragement! Great to hear that my blog has been useful to you.