|
 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators |
| |
| Employment Increase: |
70% |
| People In Field: |
100,000 |
| Average Salary: |
$21,000 |
| Qualifications: |
High School, Training |
| |
Nature of the Work:
Private detectives and investigators are in the business
of providing information about activities that the people
being investigated would prefer to keep to themselves. This
can range from catching shoplifters in the act, or keeping an
eye on a spouse suspected of adultery, to sifting through the
financial records of a company accused of wrongdoing.
Various categories of the work require the patience to sit in a
car outside a subject's home watching for comings and
goings, the thoroughness to conduct background searches,
conduct research, and perform general office duties related to a
particular case, and the ability to blend inconspicuously into
a crowd of shoppers at a store in a mall.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement:
Training requirements can range from a high school
degree and street smarts for some varieties of surveillance
work to college or graduate level business coursework for
specialized financial investigators. Basic literacy is a requirement at
all levels. Computer literacy is a requirement at some
levels. Some people become private detectives or investigators
after working in other areas of law enforcement. Some enter
the field from business careers. Licensing and certification
requirements vary from state to state, and they can range
from simple registration to background checks and the
completion of specialized courses. A clean police record with no
convictions for crimes more serious than parking tickets is a plus
in this field. Investigators often advance by starting their
own firms.
Job Outlook:
This field is growing faster than average. It is
estimated that there will be approximately 100,000 detectives by
2005. The detective field appears to be expanding more
quickly than the general economy, but it is attracting a great deal
of interest from potential applicants, meaning that although jobs
will be plentiful, there will be competition for each position.
Sources of Additional Information:
For more information on detective occupations,
please contact:
International Security and Detective Alliance
P.O. Box 6303
Corpus Christi, TX, 78466-6303
National Association of Legal Investigators Inc.
P.O. Box 3254
Alton, IL 62002
|
| |
| Back to Career Listings |
| |
|
