Entering Private Investigation as Your First Career
Research the requirements in your area. Almost all US states and many countries require a certain level of education or experience to earn a private investigator license. The information below will help you qualify in most cases, but it's best to check the law in the area where you plan to work. A criminal record disqualifies you in almost every region. Even in area without licensing, your potential employers may run a background check on you. The United Kingdom currently has no requirements, but this is expected to change soon.
Study applicable subjects in college (recommended). Many regions do not require a four-year degree, but it is still highly recommended for anyone without relevant work experience. Complete a two- or four-year degree in criminal law, criminal justice, or police science. Alternatively, study accounting or a related field to qualify for a position as a corporate investigator. These investigators mostly investigate allegations of fraud and embezzlement. Even in areas where a degree is optional, this may count toward work experience requirements. In California, for example, a law degree or four-year police science degree eliminates 2,000 hours.
Evaluate your character traits. Your idea of PI work is probably a lot more glamorous than the real thing. Most of your work will involve online research, surveillance, and preparing records for court presentations. This takes someone with particular skills and temperament: Excellent observation skills Good spoken and written communication skills, to help you work with clients and present to juries Quick decision-making skills and resourcefulness Moderate technological skills, particularly online research and surveillance technology Ability to handle occasional high-stress situations, physical and mental demands, and long, unusual work hours
Prepare for boredom. You may think of being a PI as working in a smoky, dark office in a sketchy area of town while damsels in distress line up at your door. In reality, you'll be spending hours in your parked car in the middle of suburbia unable to make a run to Taco Bell even though you're starving because Joe Schmo could come out at any minute. You'll get bored. You'll also get super tired. If staying awake isn't your thing, this isn't the job for you. Your best friends will be late night coffee stops, energy drinks, and the front seat of your car. Hope it's comfy! This is not a job that allows for multitasking. Even if you are hiding behind a tree trying to snap that photo for hours on end, you can't exactly read a book or play Bejeweled while you wait. It requires focus for extended periods of time -- sometimes extended periods of time doing absolutely nothing but waiting. If you're good at waiting without going crazy, you'll make a great PI.
Get stealthy. While it depends on the specific line of work you get into, odds are you'll get a case at least here and there where you have to be sneaky. Wherever you go, you need to blend in. Being loud and proud won't get you anywhere on your case. For some cases, you need to be so stealthy even dogs won't sniff you out. In others, you need to be as "normal" as possible to obtain information and appear trustworthy. A large part of the battle will be in recognizing just what you need to do and how you need to come off. But whatever it is, you need to hide your intentions. Practice your lying skills to get started.
Take training courses (recommended). As valuable as a criminal justice degree can be, it may not cover the practical side of surveillance and database access. Experienced PIs say that hands-on training is the most important step for someone entering the field. Many courses are relatively cheap and only last a few days. Choose a course accredited by a national accrediting organization, or by a professional organization of investigators. Alternatively, contact local, independent private eye agencies and ask to shadow an investigator. A second car can come in handy on surveillance, so it's not too hard to convince them.
Apply to entry level positions. Existing detective agencies often have open entry-level positions, although this might not involve a steady paycheck. The agency should provide on-the-job training until you gain enough experience to become a proper private investigator. This typically takes a few years. You can also qualify for your license through other routes, such as law enforcement, military police work, claims adjustment, or debt collection. In some states, your activities will be limited until you qualify for a license.
Get your license. If a license is required in your area, take the exam as soon as you qualify. Your license will permit you to work as a private investigator, with the right to access certain databases and perform surveillance. You may continue to work for a private agency, or apply to PI jobs at corporations, government agencies, and law firms. In most US States, the Department of Public Safety handles these licenses.
Switching to a Private Investigation Career
Know your job prospects. Job growth in the investigation career is about average, but you may face tough competition from high numbers of retirees from the police and military. The median annual wage of an investigator is roughly $44,500 in the US, and £17,500 in the UK.
Understand the stress of the job. Most private investigators rely entirely on clients for their income, so you must have the budgeting resolve to save up for dry months. The effect on your domestic life may be even more severe: when you do have work, you may be called to a 12 hour session at the drop of a hat. Expect to give up many evenings, weekends, and holidays, so you can conduct surveillance during your target's free time. Finally, you must be able to handle physical and emotional stress, including from the occasional dangerous situation. Some specialties involve less surveillance and somewhat better hours. Keep reading for more information.
Consider your experience. Roughly 50% of private investigators are former policemen and 20% are former military. You'll need similar chops if you don't want to work your way up from the bottom, but there are several other routes into the field: Law-related work Investigative journalism Insurance claims adjustment Debt collection
Get a license to investigate. Most US states and many other countries require a license before you can work as a private investigator. You can usually waive the experience requirement if you spent at least a few years in one of the careers listed above. Typically, you will need to pass an exam, and sometimes a short training course. In the US, contact your state or city Department of Public Safety to find out more.
Find a focus. Private investigators can examine everything from arson to identity theft. If you can, draw on particular experience or skills to specialize in one or more areas. This can lead to more full-time employment opportunities, or create a reputation that attracts clients. Here are a few common specialties: Surveillance jobs most commonly involve worker's compensation, unfaithful spouses, recurring theft, missing person searches, or vandalism. If you have a background in law, law firms may hire you to assist with trial work, including acquiring information and presenting to juries. Computer skill can make you desirable as a computer forensics investigator, recovering and analyzing deleted emails and other digital data. Accounting experience prepares you for corporate jobs involving fraud, embezzlement, asset recovery, and other financial transactions.
Prepare materials. For starters, you'll need reliable transportation and a decently fast computer. You can't track someone down with the local library computers and the city bus. You'll probably also want a good camera, recording equipment, and — depending on the job — camouflage clothes. Guns are not as common as you might think in most types of PI work. If your region allows PIs to carry weapons, and you're willing to accept more dangerous jobs, consider firearm training and a weapons permit.
Find consistent employment. Depending on your exact experience, you may be able to land a full time job in one of the specialties listed above. Working for a detective agency is another option, and the on-the-job training it provides can be invaluable even if you have law enforcement training. Seek clients among insurance companies and attorneys as well as private individuals. Although one in four PIs are self-employed, we don't recommend starting a business until you have at least a few years of experience.
Know what's legal and what isn't. As a PI, you're toeing the line when it comes to the tactics you're employing to catch your perp. Just because you're a PI doesn't mean you can break the law. Stay safe (and employed) and get familiar with the laws. Pretexting (the act of pretending to be someone else to obtain information) is generally viewed as only unethical. However, it is illegal in the US if you pretend to be a government official or use your identity to obtain phone or bank records. Wiretapping is generally illegal. Surveillance is typically legal (especially if the police have been notified). Breaking and entering is definitely not legal. Citizen arrest laws vary by area.
Work toward certifications. There are about fifteen professional certifications that you can earn to prove your qualifications in various subfields of investigation. These typically require at least two years of experience and passing an exam. A few examples of organizations that offer certification are the National Association of Legal Investigators, ASIS International, and the National Association of Fraud Examiners. As long as you keep your training up to date, you can use the certification and title to attract clients. A "certificate" is not a professional "certification." Certificates are generally awarded for short training courses. The training can be useful, but it does not carry the same cachet.
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