How to Be the Next Dick Tracy: Distance Learning for Private Investigators

Working as a private investigator requires a range of skills. If you're interested in a job with daily challenges and rewards, a distance learning course in private investigation could be your first step.
When imagining the day-to-day life of a private investigator, you might picture stakeouts, hidden cameras, and confrontations. You might be surprised, however, to learn the range of duties and responsibilities private investigators undertake on a daily basis.

Online Training: Skills for Private Investigators

• Background check technology
• Physical surveillance skills
• Interpersonal communication
• Identity theft prevention

Look for a distance learning course that covers a range of these essential duties. Online training in private investigation should offer diverse coursework, as private investigators can choose to work in a number of fields, including legal, corporate, financial, and loss prevention departments of businesses, law firms, and private enterprise.

The Benefits of Distance Learning

Completing an online training course in private investigation gives you the chance to gain skills and knowledge directly rated to your ideal work. Because one in four private investigators are self-employed, an online course can serve as on-the-job training, a valuable educational tool for anyone hoping to break into the business.
Working as a private investigator means a challenging, interesting day at work, but the job also has its monetary benefits. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, private investigators earned an average $32,110 in 2004. Earnings vary greatly by the field you choose, and the highest 10 percent of employed private investigators earned more than $58,470.
Source:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Private Detectives and Investigators"

Amelia Gray is a teacher and freelance writer in San Marcos, TX. Amelia earned a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Arizona State University.