13 Key Attributes Private Detectives And Investigators Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Michael Davis

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Private detectives and investigators gather, analyze, compile and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.

The core tasks that private detectives and investigators are likely to carry out include:

Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
Conduct background investigations of individuals, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status or personal history.
Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.
Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that private detectives and investigators would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 98.2%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 95.8%

Having a strong preference for enterprising work environments. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 95.29%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 92%

Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 90.4%

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 89.6%

Developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.2%

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 85.4%

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 84.8%

Analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 82.8%

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81%