| A Private Investigator (also termed as Private | | | | prefer a licensed and experienced investigator for |
| Detective), is a person who carries out | | | | their task to attain better results out of them. |
| investigations, usually for a private individual, | | | | Thus, for individuals who want to make up their |
| business firm, or an organization. Private | | | | profession in private investigation industry, a |
| investigators may also work for attorneys in civil | | | | background in subjects such as criminal justice and |
| and criminal cases on behalf of a client. While | | | | police science can be helpful. Most corporate |
| some Private Investigators work for insurance | | | | investigators require having a bachelor's degree, |
| companies to investigate scandalous, suspicious or | | | | preferably in a business-related field to understand |
| fraudulent insurance claims, others help search for | | | | the business and its clauses in a better manner. |
| evidence of infidelity within a marriage to establish | | | | Some corporate investigators even prefer having |
| grounds for a divorce or child custody. Where | | | | a master's degree in business administration or a |
| some Private Detectives conduct process servers | | | | law degree for themselves. Corporate |
| and background checks, some are proficient in | | | | investigators hired by large companies may |
| skip tracing and locating missing individuals. And the | | | | receive a formal training from their employers on |
| list does not terminate here. Document | | | | ethical and unethical business practices, |
| verification, corporate investigations, family | | | | management structure, their federal rights, |
| verifications, surveillance tasks, bug detection, | | | | constitutional norms followed by them and various |
| computer forensics, etc. etc… The list is too long | | | | finance related topics. The screening process for |
| to mention. Though many investigation | | | | potential employees typically includes a |
| organizations, across the country specialize in one | | | | background check for a criminal history. Thus, the |
| particular field of expertise, there are a very few, | | | | successful investigators mainly include former |
| which are the ‘Jack of all Trades' and even | | | | police officials, government auditors, law |
| master them. | | | | enforcers, or former military men or the ones |
| Unlike a typical 9 to 5 official job, Private | | | | who prior to this industry, worked in private |
| Investigators often work irregular hours depending | | | | security industry, federal intelligence jobs, or as |
| upon the needs of their case which require them | | | | paralegals as these are the people who have |
| to conduct shadowing and interrogate/interview | | | | deep knowledge of these fields because of their |
| who may or may not be available during normal | | | | worthy experience. A Private Investigator often |
| working hours. Early morning, lat night, weekend, | | | | has to work for long hours, during which he is |
| and holiday work is quite common. Most Private | | | | expected to keep even the minutest of the |
| Investigators spend a majority of their time | | | | details of the subject. So he makes up detailed |
| conducting interviews or surveillance tasks, but | | | | notes (which he keeps updating during the |
| some are there who work in their office most of | | | | investigation) and audio/video clips for reports |
| the day making out searches in the computer | | | | which he finally presents to his clients. |
| databases or over the internet and making | | | | Most private detective agencies are small, and |
| investigation phone calls. Sometimes an | | | | usually, there are no defined ranks or steps, so |
| investigation calls for the investigator to be | | | | advancement takes the form of raise in salary |
| armed, especially when talking about law | | | | and assignment status. Many detectives and |
| enforcement investigation tasks. Detectives and | | | | investigators work for detective agencies at the |
| investigators who carry handguns ought to be | | | | beginning of their careers and, after a few years |
| licensed by the appropriate federal authority in | | | | of attaining the necessary experience, start their |
| most cases to carry a firearm on duty. In most | | | | own investigating firms. Corporate and legal |
| cases, however, a weapon is not necessary, | | | | investigators may rise to supervisor or managerial |
| because the purpose of the work is gathering | | | | posts as that of Board of Directors or Chairman |
| information and not law enforcement or criminal | | | | of the Security or Investigations department, but |
| apprehension where it is needed mainly for the | | | | this is only feasible in the organizations which are |
| sake of self defense. | | | | well-established and undertake various fields of |
| Though there is no specific course term for | | | | investigation. |
| investigation industry, still most of the clients | | | | |