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