Private Investigator Tips

What is a Private Investigator?

He or she is a professional researcher, a fact-finder, a truth-seeker.
He or she is a person who is able to follow a logical trail of facts, information, and evidence.
A Private Investigator is someone who can help find the evidence and factual information necessary to make sound decisions.
A Private Investigator is often the last refuge for those who can find no help or guidance through ordinary channels.
A Private Investigator is an ordinary human being, with no police powers, but can often supplement the efforts of Law Enforcement.
A Private Investigator is a problem solver, and can be the instrument of justice for those who have been wronged.

Most importantly, a Private Investigator is someone who does many of the things you could do yourself, but his experience and training allow him to do these things more efficiently and successfully.

What does a Private Investigator do?

Criminal Investigations - In conjunction with an attorney, a Private Investigator can take witness statements, do background information on people connected with the events of the crime, locate people involved or related to the events of the crime, and help the attorney prepare for court.
Security - A Private Investigator can provide security consulting, risk assessment, background checks on employees, investigation of thefts and vandalism, and video surveillance.
Corporate Investigations - fraud, forensic accounting, due diligence, merger investigations.
"Skip Tracing" - A Private Investigator can help find reluctant debtors, missing persons, runaway teenagers, lost relatives, old friends, lost loves.
TCSM - Technical Counter Surveillance Measures - many Private Investigators are trained to ensure that sensitive corporate information is not being stolen via phone taps, hidden recorders and microphones, and electronic eavesdropping.
Mystery Shopper - Some Private Investigators offer "shopping services", and will play the role of a consumer, and report back to the owner of the establishment to make sure his employees are following the companies rules & regulations.
Process Service - A Private Investigator may offer services to attorneys to deliver court documents.
Undercover Investigation - In which the Private Investigator assumes a role in order to discover information. Example: Posing as an employee to discover employee theft or other illegal or unethical behavior.
Negligence Investigations - Usually in conjunction with a lawsuit, an Investigator can check into claims of negligence or endangerment.
Matrimonial/Domestic Relations - A Private Investigator can help determine if a partner (married or otherwise) is being faithful to you, is hiding assets, or is using their computer to "have a relationship".

Actually, there is no limit to what an investigator can do for you, if it involves find out information and facts. He's kind of a truth-seeking handyman, and can usually get the information you need as long as it's obtainable through legal means.

How are they different from Law Enforcement?

What they do have, as opposed to officers of the law, is time. Our police forces have a lot of responsibilities, many of which have been imposed by a desire for good public relations. Sadly, the emergency line 911 is constantly plagued with requests for officers to perform activities that they shouldn't have to do, activities not directly related to protecting victims, preventing crime, apprehending criminals. I've heard stories of calls to remove a mattress from the street, "tell my neighbor to stop petting my dogs", and "I need someone to take me to the store."

A Private Investigator, on the other hand, can devote as much time as is necessary to the task at hand. Sure, he's charging by the hour, but sometimes that's the only way to find out the truth.

What is your average Private Investigator like?

Private Investigators are usually very curious people, with a knack for details, and observation. But there is a very wide range of "types" that end up in the field. It's not just for men, either! There are more female Private Investigators every year. There has also been an increase in the number of people who are becoming Private Investigators after working in other careers, who have no Law Enforcement background at all.

On the whole, your average Private Investigator is just like you, or someone you know.

Become a Private Investigator
(Career information)

Required steps to become a Private Investigator

1. Find out your State's licensing requirements
2. Meet those requirements
3. Pay fees for P.I. license from State (or County)
4. You are now a Private Investigator

Wait a minute! It can't be that easy can it?

Well, no. The State licensing requirements for a Private Investigator can range from only requiring payment of a fee, all the way to having to pass exams, take college courses, train under another P.I., the works. You might even have to find another Private Investigator to "sponsor" you, depending upon your state. There may also be additional requirements depending on the Municipality or City that you live in.

The fees are not too bad, depending upon your State, but they can add up quickly if they have exam fees, processing fees, background check fees, etc.

The key is, if you want to do this, then DO IT! You can't let obstacles stop you from pursuing a goal that is close to your heart. And there will be obstacles, let me tell you. But anything can be accomplished if you set your will to do so.

The really difficult thing is finding someone willing to give you experience as a private investigator. I tried to find someone to hire me in the beginning, before I had received my license. (Most States allow you to work under the license of another investigator as his employee). You'll find that a lot of the big agencies that are hiring don't want to pay very much for your time, and the smaller ones are often "one man shops" that aren't really set up for employees. In addition, they are (quite frankly) nervous about the prospect of training someone who they feel might go into business for themselves, in competition with them.

But don't let that stop you! Somebody out there will hire you, or at least let you work for free for a while. For free? Yep. Sometimes that's the only way to get your foot in the door.

Okay, what if you can't find ANYbody to hire you?

Do an assessment of your skills. Do you have the skills necessary to get hired? Can you write an understandable report? Do you know how to use video and photographic equipment, and can show it if someone asks you for details? Are you comfortable with computers? Do you have an eye for details?

Find out where you think you are lacking, and fix it. Read more, learn more, do more. Ask yourself, if I opened my own agency, what would I need to know how to do? (That depends on the type of investigation you are working on, of course). What skills would I need? If you're not sure, check out Yahoo Groups, and look for the ones that allow non-PI's (unless you've already got your licensing) to join. Your best bet is to keep your questions to yourself until you're licensed. Non-PI's make real investigators nervous. Just read, and learn. There are several Yahoo Groups that are just for New Investigators. Check those out.

An Alternative Route

You could always choose the path I chose. I would never, EVER, have opened my own agency if someone had been good enough to hire me. It's a much steeper hill to climb, if you know what I mean. Business is slow to grow, but when it picks up it's great. Personally, I'm glad that I followed this path, now that I look back on it. But if you choose to get a license and start your own company from scratch, you need to be the kind of person who makes friends easily. Get to know your fellow P.I. 's. Once you are in competition with them, you've removed their greatest fear about you... that you'll go into competition with them. You've already done it! But show them that you are the kind of person that might be good for their business, as well as yours. Do favors for any P.I. who needs a hand, they might return a good deed right back to you. Nothing creates more work than helping someone in need. Trust me. You'll probably do better making friends with P.I.'s that are not in the same city with you, but share the same State. There's less fear of competition, and it gives you the opportunity to refer work back to them, if you don't want to go all the way up to their city. They love that, and they'll return the favor if they can. If they do refer work to you, offer to let them pay you less than they are offering, and they can give the results to the client, if they'll help you "learn on the job". It's really hard to turn down an offer like that. Either way, remember, don't let obstacles stop you from getting what you want! Oh, and make sure you get insurance... more on that later. It's not worth the risk to not be insured.

Okay... I know I've left out about a hundred things that you want to know about becoming a private investigator. But this is merely the first revision of this instructional guide. If you have questions, feel free to send me an e-mail and ask away! I work for a living, so might not get back immediately, but I won't keep you waiting long, I assure you. And I'll update the web site to include the answers you needed, so no one will have to ask them again! How does that sound? Good, then it's a deal. Good luck!

Is Police or Military experience required?

It depends upon your State, but in general the answer is no, you don't need Police or Military experience.

But it helps a lot!

Why? Partially for the experience you will have in regards to interviewing, reporting, procedure (from the Police side). Actually, most law enforcement officers never do any surveillance on the job, or investigate anything beyond suspicious activity, unless they move into investigative departments. They do often have a developed eye for trouble, and are trained to seek out and find details, however.

The other reason it helps a lot is because your clients believe it helps a lot. It's a matter of perception, really. If a client has to choose between two investigators, and one of them was a former electrician, and the other was a former Patrol Officer, which one sounds better. The LEO of course! He just seems like the better choice. He may not necessarily be the best choice, but to your potential client, perception is important.

The good news is a lot of people are moving into this career field from very diverse education and job experience. Accountants are becoming Forensic Accountants (I think those guys are cool), computer experts are working at exposing electronic fraud, this field is widening to welcome anyone with the right personality and abilities to do the job. This is mainly due to the fact that the need is growing so rapidly. Private Investigation is currently the 5th fastest growing job market.

So don't let your lack of Police or Military experience stop you. Get skills, and it won't matter in the long run.