The credit for making the term 'private investigators' well-known and familiar to even children goes to detective fiction depicted in books, movies and television.
There would be nobody who hasn't heard of Sherlock Holmes, the oldest name in this genre, Hercule Poirot, and Miss Marple, if you take novels in the UK alone.
Coming to Hollywood you'll find a lot more characters who never failed to add excitement and glamour to the detective profession and satisfied the action- and mystery-hungry audience.
Today, a private investigator is more than a fictional term and is someone most of us come across at least once in life.
With the number of divorces and insurance thefts and frauds increasing, there are more number of jobs for private investigators, and employing them has ceased to become a rarity.
While most number of clients are those seeking divorce and trying to find fault with their spouses, there are other clients as well such as insurance companies, lawyers, parents, etc.
Finding private investigators is not a difficult job now.
You could easily find one in your locality from yellow pages, newspapers and magazines or even online.
However, finding the right one is tougher.
If you are also trying to find a private investigator to unravel some mystery in your life, there are a few factors that you need to remember.

• Check whether the agency is licensed.
  Each country has its own rules and laws regarding approving a private investigation agency, most of which are pertaining to the quality, skills and experience of its staff.
  Hence, to ensure that your case would get speedy and better results, ensure that the private investigator you have selected has the necessary licenses and approval from the authorities.
  
• Go for an experienced investigator.
  As you know, experience counts a lot when it comes to providing better and faster results.
  To know how to approach a case and how to find out what the client wants to be found out discreetly requires tact and familiarity.
  A novice investigator might not be able to do this as easily as a professional.
  
• Check the technical facilities and equipments that the agency has before hiring one.
  Gone are the days of a detective moving around with magnifying lens.
  Today, technology as advanced so much and science plays a huge role in criminology and forensics.
  Even the means of communication has become technological, and therefore you need someone who is technologically savvy to investigate your case.
  
• Discuss the expenses even before the investigation begins.
  Investigation is such a business that could go on and on and its duration is often uncertain.
  Also, the places where the investigator has to go might vary according to the situation.
  All these add to the expenses, and therefore you need to discuss all these and clarify all the points before you hire an agency.
  

Deciding on right private investigators is not so easy as you cannot discuss about it to all to get references.
However, if you are checking online, you could try going through the testimonials and other details before hiring.
In short, absolute care should be given to hiring the right agency for the best results.