by CourseAdvisor

Private detectives conduct investigations for businesses, attorneys, and individuals. Private Investigators perform research and surveillance to:

• Verify information about job applicants
• Solve missing persons cases
• Conduct background checks
• Investigate computer crimes including identity and intellectual property theft
• Research insurance claims and fraud
• Gather premarital, fidelity, and child custody and protection information

An investigator for every kind of investigation

• Legal investigators assist lawyers by collecting criminal defense evidence, working with police and witnesses, and serving documents.
• Corporate investigators track down problems within businesses such as drug abuse, theft, and fraud.
• Financial investigators, often Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), specialize in assembling financial data about individuals and businesses involved in major financial transactions.
• Store detectives, or loss prevention agents, help protect stores from theft through surveillance and apprehension of thieves.
• Hotel detectives keep order in hotel facilities, including restaurants and bars, and protect guests from theft.

Private Detective School

Private investigator and detective training varies with specialty. Many private detectives have college degrees. Investigators in the financial and legal fields often have backgrounds in their areas of specialization. Most states have licensing requirements for private detectives and investigators. Job candidates should be assertive, have good communications skills, and be able to think on their feet.

Many private investigators work for investigation and security service agencies or retail stores. Other employers are law firms, employment agents, and financial services companies such as banks and insurance companies. About one quarter of all private detectives are self-employed.

Private Investigator Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistic, as of May 2006, median annual earnings of salaried private detectives and investigators were $33,750, with the middle 50 percent earning between $24,180 and $47,740. Earnings vary greatly by employer, specialty, and geographic area.

Private Investigator Career Outlook

The job outlook for private investigator is excellent, with faster-than-average job growth expected over through 2016. On the other hand, competition for these jobs can be stiff, in part because this is a popular second career for law enforcement and military personnel who are often able to retire at a relatively young age.

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Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor