The following answers were given by an individual who wishes to remain anonymous and is a member of Eagle Investigative Services. Eagle Investigative Services offers civil and criminal investigation services, insurance fraud investigations, subrogation, activity checks, skip tracing, property and vehicle theft probes, pre-employment/background investigations, undercover operations, espionage countermeasures and corporate security. This company produces a blog, Atlanta Private Investigator Blog, where it posts articles, surveys and other findings associated with private investigation and forensics.

Why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I originally got involved in this field because I had reason to hire a private investigator and was entirely dissatisfied with their lackadaisical approach to my situation and their lack of professionalism. I studied the industry and observed an acute need for a progressive, professional, results-based agency.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
Two of the states in which I operate require licensing; Florida and Georgia. Both require classroom training prior to becoming licensed and many colleges in these states provide private investigator training classes. I specifically had computer science training and so I focus on the computer forensics cases within the company.

If your education was directly related to your career, what types of classes and projects did you have to do?
Other than the private investigator training class, I have taken interviewing classes, technology advancement classes and continuing education classes.

How did your education help you in your career?
Learning the laws that apply to private investigation is vital. Many people have misconstrued notions of what it is to be a private investigator.

What was your career path like in this field? For example, did you begin in one position and advance through others to reach where you are now?
I began as an intern and worked my way up through the agency taking on more complex cases as my experience expanded. I quickly opened my own agency.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
The biggest skills are having the ability to keep an open mind and realize you are a problem solver first, and a private investigator second, and having the ability to notice/observe the smallest of details and be able to articulate those details as they pertain to the case.

What do you do on a typical workday?
I intake all kinds of cases—missing people, adoption searches, fraud analysis, divorce cases and child abuse cases. A private investigator will not have a typical day. Our days are dictated by what our clients require.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field? If so, to what position and why?
I plan to expand to other states and bring my unique problem-solving skills to new communities.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
Someone who has an eye for detail both in what they observe and how they relay the information. Someone who says, "I've always wanted to be a PI" is not the ideal candidate.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
Think of this field as a way to help others instead of having the enigma of being a private investigator. Know how to speak clearly, spell correctly and interact with all kinds of people. Intern with a local agency so you get a feel for the business. If this business is for you, you'll recognize it quickly and see opportunities open up all around you.