The 6 Strategies

I have talked to hundreds of PIs during the last three years, and these are the six strategies I found most of them employed to become private investigators. Let’s check them out:

TORTOISE (aka “Stick Your Toes In”)

This is the slow, part-time strategy for becoming a private investigator. Take it one step at a time. For example, take your first 4-hour PI course online and learn something. Or attend a conference to see what’s happening in the industry. Work part-time in any role you can find. I know one 911 Operator who has been slowly learning and working small cases for a year. She wants to keep her main job until she knows for sure this is what she wants to do. This is practical.

NETWORKER

First thing, just meet everyone. Join TALI as an associate member and someone who is interested in private investigations. Then participate in all the zoom meetings and conferences. You’ll find many friendly people who will give you advice and help you figure out how to move forward to become a private investigator. You’ll also learn about the various niches where PIs make money.

SPECIAL FORCES

Do like the SF and train as much as possible. In my first year as a Texas PI, I completed about 300 hours of private investigator courses. In my second year, I did another 200. This year I completed the Certified Fraud Examiners course for another 300 hours. Training can be fun. If you have the financial ability to do so, fully engage in training and enter the profession ready to rock.

SINK OR SWIM

Get yourself hired by a firm as soon as possible and hope it works out. I did this and was fired after 3 weeks by the first firm I worked for. I considered it a righteous fire. I didn’t know enough about that type of investigation, and I made a major mistake. The second PI I worked for fired me too, but that was after six months, and her main reason was “you ask too many questions.”

DOUBLE-BLADED

Pursue starting your own firm while also working for an established PI. I recommend being transparent with everyone. Unless a PI Firm is going to hire you full time, they don’t own all your time. But they do deserve your candor. Just remember to keep case information confidential, including between PI firms.

ACADEMY YEAR

Do what I did and figure out a way to take all the casework you can get for a year. If you can’t get enough work as a PI, then work as an office manager, assistant, gopher, technician. But go for it. Whatever it takes, get started working in any way possible and get as much experience as you can. Learn by doing.

SUMMARY

It is doable to become a Private Investigator. It’s up to you. Choose your strategy, set your target, and get going!