How to Become a Private Investigator

Private investigators work for attorneys, insurance companies, businesses and the general public; they may be on staff at a large corporation or be self-employed. Their duties include gathering information for clients, locating missing persons, conducting surveillance, and doing background investigations for court cases.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Lexis Nexis Classes
• Detective School Catalogs
• Private Investigator License Information
• Writing Classes

1. Realize that many people in this field have a military or law enforcement background. Others have college degrees in business, criminal justice or political science. They are your competition for jobs.

2. Enroll in a detective school if you don't have any of the experience listed above. You'll be taught the skills that a private investigator needs to have, including how to fingerprint, take samples of evidence, write reports and use firearms.

3. Polish your writing skills. This is one of the most important things you can do to ensure success. You'll need to write reports frequently and they must be of professional quality.

4. Become proficient at using credit checks and computer searching resources, such as Lexis-Nexis. They'll be a large part of your work, and this skill can be your entry into working for a firm.

5. Apply for your private investigator's license if one is required in your state. Your local police department or a local detective agency can tell you which government division handles this.

Tips & Warnings

• Be honest with yourself about your qualifications. You need to be mature, assertive, persistent, aggressive and logical.

• Polish your interpersonal skills. Part of your work will involve interviewing people.

• To be a self-employed private investigator, you must have a strong work ethic and not mind working alone most of the time.

• Be sure you meet your state's requirements. You may have to take an exam and post a bond.

• Be prepared for long, irregular, solitary work hours, especially during surveillance work.

• Don't bother considering this career if you've been convicted of a felony. You won't be able to receive a license.