| To become a private investigator, you need a | | | | 5. The Ability To Stay Organized. You may juggle |
| combination of skills you learn and skills that are | | | | several cases at once, and you also need to keep |
| innate. For example, you can always learn how to | | | | all the evidence straight. You may also be called |
| take good photographs, but you can't always | | | | to testify in court regarding a case you haven't |
| learn how to be patient. Scan this list of skills you | | | | worked on in a while, so you need to be able to |
| need before you consider entering the world of | | | | find any reports you've typed up, along with |
| the private eye: | | | | supporting documents, quickly. |
| 1. Patience. Surveillance is often long, hard, dull | | | | 6. A Knack For Research. While computer skills |
| work. You might be sitting in a car all day, and | | | | are vital, you will also need to track down primary |
| you won't see one thing relevant to your case. | | | | documents. You may become a regular at the |
| Patience will also be key when you are | | | | local courthouse as you research case files. A |
| interviewing clients and anyone related to a case. | | | | good researcher actually enjoys digging around in |
| You need to take in all the information, not just | | | | files and is willing to leave the computer on |
| what they say but sometimes even what isn't | | | | occasion. |
| said. As with surveillance, you might need to sit | | | | 7. Knowledge Of Federal, State And Local Laws. |
| through some boring parts to get to the good | | | | The way you gather your evidence is as |
| stuff. | | | | important as the evidence itself. If you trespass |
| 2. An Eye For Detail. You need to be able to size | | | | to gather evidence, that information won't be any |
| up a situation quickly while still keeping an eye out | | | | good in court. If you decide to strike out on your |
| for what's happening in your peripheral vision. | | | | own and open an office, you will also need to |
| Someone you are tailing could leave you in the | | | | know which small business licenses you need. |
| dust if you don't know how to find the tracks he | | | | 8. Computer Skills. Private investigator services |
| leaves behind. | | | | may have benefitted most from the rise in |
| 3. Thoroughness. As an investigator, you will need | | | | technology. Now, investigators can track down |
| to hunt down multiple leads before you can be | | | | subjects with a few keystrokes. Beyond basic |
| sure that a case is solved. You cannot give up | | | | Web research, you can carve a niche for yourself |
| unless you are absolutely sure that you have | | | | by learning even more about computers so you |
| exhausted all your resources. Thoroughness will | | | | can investigate computer fraud. |
| also come in handy when you type up reports on | | | | 9. Photography And Film Knowledge. Taking good |
| what you have learned during your investigations. | | | | photographs as evidence is crucial, and you need |
| 4. Skepticism. People will say or do anything to | | | | to be able to operate a camcorder if your client |
| avoid being identified. You may need to follow | | | | needs video surveillance. |
| several false leads to get the evidence you need. | | | | |