Depending on your background, education and experience, becoming a private investigator in Georgia does require effort on your part.
The basic requirements to become a private investigator as established by the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies (OCGA 43-38-7) are:
1. Be at least 18 years of age;
2. A citizen of the United States or registered resident alien;
3. Is of good morale character;
4. Have not been convicted of a felony or any crime involving the illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon or any crime involving moral turpitude, (if you have been convicted of a crime click here for options);
5. Have not committed an act of dishonesty or fraud;
(You are subject to a background investigation that includes a check of your criminal record to ensure that you meet the requirements)
If you meet the requirements above then you will need the appropriate training to become a private investigator in Georgia. Training can be obtained in two ways;
1. Obtain the training yourself from a certified trainer. This is the most common way that private investigators receive their training is by entering a training program online or an in-person class. Having completed your private investigative training makes you more attractive to potential employers. More importantly, you have the opportunity to learn about private investigations to determine if it is the right career for you.
2. Although not as common, you may be employed by a private investigation company that offers to pay for your training when you begin work. It is important to understand from your employer what their requirements are for you to receive training. Some companies, understandably so, may require that you reimburse them for the training you receive over a period of time, or if you quit the company in a set amount of time, often 2-3 years. It is important that you fully understand the requirements of your employer if they are going to provide the training for you.
Desirable traits that successful private investigators have include:
A. Intuitiveness - Being able to see a situation and quickly understand it is important for being a successful private investigator.
B. Observant - Seeing signs, or clues is an important skill. This requires being alert and looking for information that can help you with an investigation.
C. Good Interpersonal Skills - Interpersonal skills are critical when conducting interviews of suspects, witnesses and victims. Being able to establish good rapport, making others feel at ease are critical skills that private investigators use everyday.
D. Being a good Writer and Note Taker - Private investigators are required to take notes, write reports. It is one of the primary skills they use during their investigations.
E. Curiosity - As a private investigator, your aim is to gather the facts about a particular case. Being naturally curious will help learn as much about an investigation as possible.
What does private investigative work require?
Private investigators conduct a variety of investigations that vary the daily duties and tasks they perform. In general, private investigators common tasks include:
Being a private investigator, above all, is helping other people. The work is very rewarding and sometimes it can be exciting.
Learn more about becoming a private investigator by clicking the links below:
The basic requirements to become a private investigator as established by the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies (OCGA 43-38-7) are:
1. Be at least 18 years of age;
2. A citizen of the United States or registered resident alien;
3. Is of good morale character;
4. Have not been convicted of a felony or any crime involving the illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon or any crime involving moral turpitude, (if you have been convicted of a crime click here for options);
5. Have not committed an act of dishonesty or fraud;
(You are subject to a background investigation that includes a check of your criminal record to ensure that you meet the requirements)
If you meet the requirements above then you will need the appropriate training to become a private investigator in Georgia. Training can be obtained in two ways;
1. Obtain the training yourself from a certified trainer. This is the most common way that private investigators receive their training is by entering a training program online or an in-person class. Having completed your private investigative training makes you more attractive to potential employers. More importantly, you have the opportunity to learn about private investigations to determine if it is the right career for you.
2. Although not as common, you may be employed by a private investigation company that offers to pay for your training when you begin work. It is important to understand from your employer what their requirements are for you to receive training. Some companies, understandably so, may require that you reimburse them for the training you receive over a period of time, or if you quit the company in a set amount of time, often 2-3 years. It is important that you fully understand the requirements of your employer if they are going to provide the training for you.
Desirable traits that successful private investigators have include:
A. Intuitiveness - Being able to see a situation and quickly understand it is important for being a successful private investigator.
B. Observant - Seeing signs, or clues is an important skill. This requires being alert and looking for information that can help you with an investigation.
C. Good Interpersonal Skills - Interpersonal skills are critical when conducting interviews of suspects, witnesses and victims. Being able to establish good rapport, making others feel at ease are critical skills that private investigators use everyday.
D. Being a good Writer and Note Taker - Private investigators are required to take notes, write reports. It is one of the primary skills they use during their investigations.
E. Curiosity - As a private investigator, your aim is to gather the facts about a particular case. Being naturally curious will help learn as much about an investigation as possible.
What does private investigative work require?
Private investigators conduct a variety of investigations that vary the daily duties and tasks they perform. In general, private investigators common tasks include:
- Gathering evidence about a particular case. This may include collecting evidence from a scene, conducting interviews of witnesses, analyzing data, and other evidence about a specific case.
- Conducting surveillance is another activity that private investigators may be involved with depending on the specific case. Conducting surveillance often requires patience, working after hours, and being crafty in not being discovered by the person you are assigned to gather information about.
- Writing reports is required for almost all investigations. Detailing your activities, describing evidence, to provide the client with a factual, accurate report is the primary deliverable of private investigators.
- Private investigators work in a variety of environments from office settings to working in the field. Unlike the movie portrayals of private investigators, much of the work is not exciting all of the time. Often days are spent in the office analyzing information collected from work in the field. Again, much of the working environment will be determined by the type of investigation being conducted.
Being a private investigator, above all, is helping other people. The work is very rewarding and sometimes it can be exciting.
Learn more about becoming a private investigator by clicking the links below:
