| In this article in our series on private | | | | agencies are small and offer little chance |
| investigators we're going to cover where | | | | for advancement. Unlike law enforcement, |
| private investigators get their training, how | | | | there are no defined ranks or steps. |
| they go about getting employment, what the | | | | Advancement comes in the form of increased |
| job outlook is for new investigators and what | | | | salary and assignments and is usually solely |
| investigators can expect to earn.Private | | | | based on job performance. In the case of |
| investigators get their training from a | | | | legal and corporate investigators there is |
| variety of sources depending on what area of | | | | the chance that one may eventually become |
| investigations they want to go into. For | | | | supervisor or manager of the department.In |
| example, a person who wants to get into | | | | the most recent census of private |
| criminal investigation working for criminal | | | | investigators, there were about 43,000 |
| defense or prosecution lawyers may go to a | | | | registered in the United States. About 26% |
| police academy first and get training as a | | | | of those are self employed. Many of these |
| police officer specializing in criminal | | | | hold secondary jobs as well because private |
| investigations. Others may go to college and | | | | investigation work can be very erratic. |
| take up criminology or some related | | | | Sometimes there is more work than one can |
| discipline. Those who want to become | | | | handle in a day and at other times the cases |
| investigators for corporations may go to | | | | are hard to come by. About 27 percent of the |
| college and take up finance or accounting. | | | | jobs were in investigation and security |
| The avenues of education that are open to one | | | | services. About 15 percent of the jobs were |
| wishing to pursue a career as a private | | | | in departments of general merchandise stores. |
| investigator are virtually limitless.Some | | | | The remainder worked in state and local |
| investigators, however, may get their | | | | government jobs.The job outlook is good even |
| training from specialized agencies that are | | | | though private investigation is a very |
| set up for the sole purpose of training | | | | competitive field. Many qualified people are |
| private investigators. One such organization | | | | interested in this line of work. Fortunately |
| is the National Association of Legal | | | | the demand for investigators is expected to |
| Investigators (NALI). This organization not | | | | grow very fast up until the year 2014.For |
| only provides training but also administers | | | | those interested in becoming an investigator |
| written and oral exams that a person must | | | | and wanting to know what kind of money they |
| pass in order to get certified.So, how does a | | | | can expect to make, the average salary in |
| private investigator get employment once they | | | | 2004 was about $32,000. The middle 50% |
| have become certified? There are essentially | | | | earned between $24,000 and $43,000. The |
| two avenues they can pursue. They can either | | | | lowest 10% earned just slightly under |
| set up their own agency if they have the | | | | $20,000. The upper 10% earned about $58,000. |
| funds, though in most cases this is not a | | | | The amount of money a private detective and |
| first option, or they can apply for a job | | | | investigator earns varies greatly by |
| with an existing agency. Unfortunately, most | | | | employer, specialty, and geographic area. |