Private investigators are mostly hired to obtain confidential information, locate missing persons and sometimes to participate in solving crimes. A private investigator can work for government agencies or private agencies. Most private investigators starts their own firms and work directly for clients.

Duties of a private investigator

• Conduct surveillance and background investigations on people they are hired to investigate.
• Study crime scene to see if there might be any clues left out.
• If there find any clue, it is their duty to report that information to the authorities.
• Sometimes they are supposed to testify in courts.
• Uncover facts about financial, personal and legal matters.

Private investigators uses current technology to do their investigations. The tools they use can recover deleted files and emails as well as conduct background check on any person. Sometimes they are required to interview people who are related to the case. For example a private investigator Manchester who is hired to locate a missing person will have to interview one or two people who were last seen with the missing person. To become a private investigator you will have to be brave, assertive and unafraid of confrontation because as a private investigator, you will meet a lot of tough people. You also need to have effective communication skills because you are going to be doing a lot of talking. You must be a person who has an eye for detail if you want to become a successful private investigator.

Steps for becoming a private investigator

To become a private investigator there is no formal education required but having a degree in criminal justice can be an added advantage. Most private investigators are required to have this degree but it does not mean if you don’t have the degree you can’t become a private investigator. Most jobs requires only a high school diploma anyway.

People who used to work as law enforcement officers usually have an added advantage because they can use the experience they gained during their time and use it in the new line of duty. So if you have some experience with law enforcement it will be easier for you to become a private investigator. If you don’t have any experience with the law it is important to join this line of duty after college so that you can learn more about it. You cannot become a private investigator if you are not 18 years and above. The following are the basic steps to becoming a private investigator.

• Have a degree or diploma in criminal justice or at least have some experience in law enforcement.
• Obtain a working license from the town/city you intend to work in.
• Obtain a license for weapons you are going to use.
• Apply for a known private investigation agency, pass the interview.
• Leave your fingerprints so that a background check on you can be conducted.
• Get hired and receive more training while you are already hired.

It is not a must to have a degree or experience to be hired but having them makes you more hirable.

Skills that will be helpful as a private investigator

Having a degree in criminal justice or having experience in law enforcement does not guarantee you a successful career as a private investigator. You need to have some skills like sound judgement, ability to make decisions quickly and most important you have to use your common sense. How will common sense help you in this field? It might sound like a simple thing but use of common sense is very important in this field. Let’s assume you are a private investigator in Manchester and you have been solving a murder crime and then you find the murderer holding a gun ready to commit suicide out of guilt. You will need to use your common sense and ability to make decision quickly in order to make the best decision.

Does private investigators make good money?

This is a line of duty you should follow out of passion but that does not mean that it is not well paying.  Private investigators makes an average of fifty thousand pounds per year with the highest paid receiving up to 80, 0000 pounds. The salaries depends on the employer but as you can see it is a well-paying job.