Private investigator
Carry out secret enquiries for your clients to find out information and check facts.
Also known as: private eye, private detective, PI
About the job
What it's like
You would carry out secret enquiries for your clients to find out information and check facts.
Your clients might include very different types of people and companies. As well as individuals, you could investigate cases for law firms, councils and insurance companies. So your work could range from personal issues, such as divorce, to company issues, such as suspected theft.
You would have to do background research, which may involve asking questions and understanding complicated information.
You might:
Watch people’s movements
Investigate fraud
Look for missing people or pets
Hand legal documents to people
Investigate commercial piracy (such as copying software illegally)
Run background checks on employees
You would need to have excellent observation skills and solid knowledge of the law.
You would probably work alone and be self-employed.
Explore more information about this job
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- analysing
- taking initiative
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- questioning
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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People and Society
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Photography
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Sociology
A good general education is useful. Some entrants have Highers, a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or a degree.
It helps to have a basic knowledge of law, for example on trespass, assault and data protection.
Regulations are being brought in which will require that you have completed recognised training and are licensed by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) before you can operate as an investigator.
You must have a driving licence.
You must be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland to show you are suitable for this type of work.
