Private Investigators

Many professional investigators have prior work experience in law enforcement, the military, or federal intelligence. Some may have worked in one of these fields for 20 or more years and moved on to private investigation as a second career. There are also private investigators who start in the field as interns and in entry-level positions and train while on the job. In specialties such as legal, financial, and corporate investigation, investigators may have years of experience as paralegals or accountants. Private investigation work requires strong communication skills to work with different clients and to conduct interviews. Decision-making skills, inquisitiveness, patience, and resourcefulness are required to do this type of work.