Private Investigators are often self-employed or work for Private Investigation agencies, tending to various client types and demands. Many agencies search for candidates with previous experience as Police Officers or as Detectives due to the investigative nature of the job.   
   
The educational requirements to become a Private Investigator are not standardized and vary significantly from one agency to another. The most common degrees employers tend to look for in this line of work are Criminal Justice, Social Sciences, Criminology, and Law Enforcement. Many agencies search for candidates with previous experience as Police Officers or as Detectives due to the investigative aspect of the job.  
  
Self-employed Private Investigators usually have some background in Law Enforcement or as Investigators. They often need to have the ability to run their own business, find clients and advertise their services. However, all Private Investigators need to possess legal knowledge regarding the laws and regulations governing their work.   
    
Depending on the state you're practicing in and state-level jurisdictions for Private Investigators, you may require a special license. The rule of thumb is to do your research, determining where you'd like to work and what special requirements you'll need before committing to the profession.  

What can help you become a Private Investigator

• Excellent communication skills  

Private Investigators can rely on their communication skills when performing interviews to uncover information. These skills will also come in handy when attempting to detect the signs of false testimony from witnesses, especially when investigating a crime. Highly skilled Private Investigators can pick up all of the nuances from body language and mannerisms and have a knack for knowing how to extract answers from more resilient witnesses. The art of communication is convenient, too, when working with potentially aggressive and violent people.  
 

• Exceptional analytical skills

It will serve Private Investigators well to possess solid analytical and observational skills, especially when assessing changing situations and identifying possible clues. Suppose they have all the information to break a case but have yet to put the pieces together. The ability to analyze your data and look at all possible angles is a highly sought-after trait in this field.  
 

• Excellent organizational skills 

Private Investigators will need to work on several cases simultaneously, requiring the sharpest planning and organizational skills to get the job completed in time to appease their paying clientele. The issue may be time-sensitive as well, so there is no time to waste when it comes to writing reports based on investigation findings and closing the case.  

• Elevated computer skills 

As the world changes to accommodate technology, so too should the roles of Private Investigators. One glaring example is the use of the internet to conduct criminal activity, which requires a tech-savvy individual with sharp computers skills to conduct their research and background checks over the internet. This skill is also necessary when processing and transcribing information.