Private Investigator - Training & Careers

What Private Investigators Do

Life as a private investigator is not always sitting behind a desk in a fedora, waiting for dames with problems to come knocking on the door. As a twenty-first century private eye, you will do a lot of surveillance and a lot of research to discover who has been unfaithful or who committed a crime. Sometimes private investigators have to sit outside homes or businesses for hours, waiting for a suspect to emerge or a phone to ring. But when they can confirm details on a case to catch a suspect, the rewards are great.

Training to Become a Private Investigator

People who want to become a private investigator should know that there is no one path to this career. Although many detectives have degrees, most also have relevant experience in private security, law enforcement or the military. If you wish to become a private investigator and want to know what to study, know that most people who want to become private investigators have some education in criminal justice or law enforcement. With experience in either, you will have valuable information and access to resources most of the public does not have. Some corporate investigators have degrees in business, law or accounting, giving them a good business background to put to use.   

Careers as a Private Investigator

If you are to become a private investigator, you will probably want to specialize. Legal investigators work for law firms locating witnesses, reviewing evidence and as liasions to the police or testimony in court. Corporations sometimes hire corporate investigators to find information or money leaks, or find drug use in the workplace. Other private investigators find work at hotels or casinos in loss prevention.