How to Become a Private Detective

Although television and movies teach us otherwise, the career of a private detective is nowhere near as dangerous or romantic as you might think. When you are looking at the life of a private detective, you are looking at something that requires a great deal of deductive reasoning, a good head for retaining information, and an organizational temperament. You must be someone who takes good notes about what you are seeing and put it together based only on the knowledge that you have, rather than any inferences. Patience is something you should have a lot of, whether it comes to gathering information or simply in dealing with clients who don't like what you have to say.

What kind of previous job experiences might make you an ideal candidate? Security guards and bail bondsmen are two answers, but accountants, store managers, and teachers are all positions that require leadership and patience. Think about the jobs that you have worked, no matter what they were. What skills did you come out of them with?


When you wish to become a private detective, someone who engages in activities like deduction and surveillance, you'll need to know that the first step is to get a degree in law enforcement, private security, or criminal justice. These degrees need to be taken at an accredited institution. These degrees do not make you licensed to act as a private detective, but if you want to make sure that you know everything about this field. If you want to get hired on with agency, it is almost certain that you will require a degree of this type.

When you have your degree, look into the certification required for the state that you wish to practice in. These regulations will vary from state to state and in some cases, you will only need a business license. In other places, though, you will need both a business license and a private investigator's license. If you are going to get hired by someone, a background check will likely be performed. Make sure that you have all the information handy that you need, and make sure that you clear up any issues that you might have had with the law in the past.

If you are interested in getting away from the old work at home routine and you are ready to take on a career that can change your life, take some time to take a look at becoming a private detective. This can really make all the difference for you.
 

• See How to Have a Professional Attorney Image When You Work from Home for more information.