5 Things You Don’t Know About Life as Private Investigator:
The notion of being a private investigator (PI) drums up all kinds of indulgent images of a life less-ordinary. You think fast cars. You think action-packed drama. You think James Bond and Austin Powers. To all those dreamers out there sorry to burst your bubble but I’m here to set the record straight. Life as a private investigator is far from glamourous. Like any job it has its pros and cons. To help paint a clearer picture, here is a list of 5 things (I’m assuming) you don’t know about life as a private investigator.
1. We’re always on call… always!
Forget the normal nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday work hours! Just like doctors, us private investigators are always on call. It just comes with the nature of the job. Clients call whenever they need, or whenever they find the courage, regardless of whether it’s the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning or after dinner on Monday. Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose the time.
2. It can be downright uncomfy
In the movies a 48-hour stakeout can be shot in a matter of minutes – if only that were the case in real life. I wish! Nope reality is reality and there’s nothing you can do to speed it up. This means that a 48-hour stakeout tirelessly spent watching a suspect is exactly that, 48-hours! For anyone who has driven anywhere for a full day (say from Melbourne to Adelaide) you know how uncomfortable things can start to get after you’ve been crammed up in that small (and often stuffy) space for hours upon end. Well imagine what life is like in there after days upon days. Forget getting out to stretch your legs as a decent PI would never draw attention to themselves – hence the name ‘private’ investigator. Want to take a moment to relax? Forget it. You need to remain focused on the target at all times… that is the aim of the job after all.
3. We have to deal with extremely emotional clients
Typically people who hire a private investigator are looking for answers to not-so-normal problems. More often than not, we’re talking about issues related to money, love or deceit… or a combination of all three. Maybe it’s a cheating spouse, an untrustworthy business partner or employee gone rogue? A long lost relative or teenager on drugs? Whatever the situation or story, as you can imagine, each one presents a highly sensitive topic for conversation and it takes a special private investigator to approach the situation with professionalism and respect.
4. There’s BUCKET LOADS of paperwork!
If you think that by being a private investigator you’ll live a life outdoors and not tied to a desk. Think again! When it comes to private investigation work there is a ridiculous amount of red tape that needs to be covered… and (unfortunately) this equates to loads of paperwork. Bucket loads! It’s definitely one of the less appealing aspects of the job, that’s for sure. Even the smallest investigation job (just one or two hours) can come with countless pages of paperwork and administrative duties, such as writing reports, filing paperwork, researching, due diligence, uploading and downloading files, applying for permits and licences… so forth and so forth! While this might be the less glamourous part of the job, it’s just as important as being on the field. If not, more so. After all, what’s the point in finding hard evidence on the road if you don’t have the correct paperwork to back it up?
5. We can sometimes be the bearer of bad news
Imagine having to tell someone that their business partner is ripping them off or that their loved one is doing the dirty? Worse still, having to tell a person that their long-lost sibling has passed away? Clients come to us looking for answers. The problem is there is no guarantee that they will find the answer they were looking for or one they particularly want to hear, and that can be one of the hardest aspects to being a private investigator. It’s a tough balancing act; you need to give clients the cold hard facts, while at the same time being sensitive to the emotional nature of the situation.
If you know that you could benefit from any of these traits when it comes to uncovering the truth or helping you to overcome any number of domestic, corporate or personal issues, get in touch with Precise Investigation:
Call Precise Investigation today on 1300 856 011 for a professional, Private Investigation Service
Image credit: Thank you Wikipedia: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
