Private Investigators - What Do PIs Do?
Looking to start your own business? Why not become a Private investigator? Becoming a Private investigator takes a certain type of person.
The kind of person who enjoys this kind of work is usually outgoing, confident, and enjoy the dynamics of life.
PI's work long hours and often don't have a set routine for bed time or even meals due to the varying hours they may be forced to work.
Being on a stakeout, for example, will disrupt your sleep patterns and any eating regimen you may have.
With the PI often being on the go, eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day is actually a more healthy way to eat than specifically nailing 3 meals a day during the normal hours.
Most Private detectives work for a company employing anywhere from two to hundreds of associates.
Small PI firms are usually the 21% of self employed investigators, but the bulk of PI's work in a team with other associates much like law firms do only with different specialties and duties.
Many PI firms handle a specific niche market of cases.
They may handle a handful of different types of cases that tend to be in the same niche such as jobs specifically dealing with surveillance such as messy divorces (catch them breaking your stuff or being crazy/credibility) and infidelity (catching the spouse cheating on film of video).
Different types of investigation will require different and expensive equipment.
Surveillance you need skills in not being seen and an expensive telephoto lens on a camera that takes clear high definition images/video.
You will also need equipment that can pick up conversations from far a way (a bionic ear device that looks like a hand held satellite dish with headphones).
Some Private investigators work only with the police department.
In a way they become the paralegal for the police department, handing the research and "proof" gathering for cases they may be working on.
Often PI's that were cops or detectives for the police department will start a private practice and network with the department as the departments PI, handing investigative type work and anything they need.
Police departments utilize private sector PI's all the time to outsource administrative and surveillance tasks when they can't spare any detectives but the job is safe.
Being an ex cop will often help you with that networking attempt.
Private investigators usually have either a background in investigative work or a college education in criminology or various classes that support what a private eye does.
The kind of person who enjoys this kind of work is usually outgoing, confident, and enjoy the dynamics of life.
PI's work long hours and often don't have a set routine for bed time or even meals due to the varying hours they may be forced to work.
Being on a stakeout, for example, will disrupt your sleep patterns and any eating regimen you may have.
With the PI often being on the go, eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day is actually a more healthy way to eat than specifically nailing 3 meals a day during the normal hours.
Most Private detectives work for a company employing anywhere from two to hundreds of associates.
Small PI firms are usually the 21% of self employed investigators, but the bulk of PI's work in a team with other associates much like law firms do only with different specialties and duties.
Many PI firms handle a specific niche market of cases.
They may handle a handful of different types of cases that tend to be in the same niche such as jobs specifically dealing with surveillance such as messy divorces (catch them breaking your stuff or being crazy/credibility) and infidelity (catching the spouse cheating on film of video).
Different types of investigation will require different and expensive equipment.
Surveillance you need skills in not being seen and an expensive telephoto lens on a camera that takes clear high definition images/video.
You will also need equipment that can pick up conversations from far a way (a bionic ear device that looks like a hand held satellite dish with headphones).
Some Private investigators work only with the police department.
In a way they become the paralegal for the police department, handing the research and "proof" gathering for cases they may be working on.
Often PI's that were cops or detectives for the police department will start a private practice and network with the department as the departments PI, handing investigative type work and anything they need.
Police departments utilize private sector PI's all the time to outsource administrative and surveillance tasks when they can't spare any detectives but the job is safe.
Being an ex cop will often help you with that networking attempt.
Private investigators usually have either a background in investigative work or a college education in criminology or various classes that support what a private eye does.
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