One of the most common jobs that clients ask a private eye to do is to perform background checks on potential employees.  Employers know that making a bad mistake in hiring someone can be very costly for their company, not to mention very inconvenient indeed, especially since finding a replacement can be a hassle.  If you’ve been hired to check on a job candidate, here are tried and tested tips you can use:

Always ask if the potential employee consented with the screening
To protect the rights of all job applicants, the Fair Credit Reporting Act was implemented.  Be aware that the Act requires the inquirer (in this case, the employer) to show written proof that the potential employee agreed to have a background check performed on him.

You also have to let the applicant know the source of the information you obtained, in case their application is turned down based on whatever data you as a private eye gets to collect.  Remember that the information you will obtain from performing such a background check will affect the outcome of the potential employee’s job application.

Obtain a resume of the potential employee
The resume of the candidate will tell you plenty of things about the person.  It contains information regarding his former employers, the people he worked with (usually included as references) and the school where he got his education.

You should be able to match the information provided by the job applicant with what is factual: did he really work at the company he mentioned in his resume and in such a capacity?  Are his claims regarding the types of responsibilities he had truthful?  Did he really complete the education he said he trained for?

Ask what type of references your client needs
As a professional private eye, you should be able to offer your client different screening services.  Offering a complete, all-in-one package may not be that useful for your client because of the nature of the job that the potential employee will be performing.

You could, for example, offer a basic potential employee screening package covering an employment background check, resume verification and a criminal record check for most job vacancies.  Based on the qualifications required for the job position, you can then extend your screening services to include checks on the potential employee’s education and training, work documentation and any records that might show a criminal past.

Cover your grounds
Be careful about screening a potential employee for your clients.  Cover all the necessary issues to ensure that your client gets all the relevant information about their job applicant.  If they make a bad hiring decision based on the information you provided, they may not remain as your clients for so long.

image credits to sxc.hu

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Investigative reports are written by private investigators for the purpose of providing the necessary information to their clients. These often serve as one of the primary bases for their overall performance and it’s therefore important for every private investigator not only to hone his sleuthing skills but his ability to wield a pen as well.

Here are a few tips to help you impress your clients with your investigative report.

Observe professional standards.
Follow common technical requirements for font styles, margins, document size, and make sure to submit your investigative report on time and properly and safely enclosed in a folder or envelope.

Avoid use of colloquial words as they have no place in formal writing. Remember to write objectively and using the third person’s point of view. This is, after all, an investigative report and not an autobiography or memoir.

Use outlines and drafts.
Cohesiveness and coherency are essential in investigative reports. These documents utilize formal writing and, thus, require you to relay the information in a clear sequence of events. An outline will help ensure that you do everything step by step. Drafts, on the other hand, help you flesh out your writing and find small errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Determine the objectives for your investigative report. They will help you stick as closely as possible to your outline and make your drafts less prone to mistakes.

Simplify.
Investigative reports are not legends or poems. They do not require flowery descriptions and complicated sentences. Rather, you need to be concise with your writing. Do your best to explain every issue briefly but clearly. Don’t skimp on detail but don’t include unnecessary or irrelevant information.

Take note of the essential parts.
An investigative report, regardless of the topic, has five essential parts. The introduction gives the reader the case’s background. Methods used in the investigation should also be identified and explained. Results should be stated, evaluated, and interpreted. Conclusions should be made and last but not the least, primary and secondary sources or references for information used in the report should be listed.

Edit and revise.
When you have the final draft ready, give it a rest for a day or two before editing it for possible last revisions. If it’s within your agreement to share your report with other people in the company, it wouldn’t hurt to have another person proofread your report.

Lastly, don’t forget to ask for feedback. Knowing where you did extremely well – or bad – can help improve the next investigative report you’re set to write.

image credits to athena

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Private investigators with college degrees and licenses are in demand, yes, but if you desire the chance to get paid the highest rates, you’ll need other qualifications to give you the edge over other investigators.

Experience in Other Fields
Having experience, regardless of where you obtained it from, is never a bad thing and it’s even better if there’s an evident link between your previous occupation and your current career as a private investigator. Legal private investigators would be able to provide better service if they had worked previously for a legal firm or even the government. Insurance private investigators would naturally have a better time resolving cases if they had worked before in an insurance company. And of course, let’s not forget those with previous jobs as policemen, military investigators, and similar occupations. They, more than anyone else, have what it takes to become a private investigator.

Certification and Advancement
Certificates are handy proof for what you’ve accomplished and what you have that others don’t. Legal Investigator Certificates are offered, for instance, by the National Association of Legal Investigators to licensed individuals with considerable experience in criminal defense or negligence investigations. To qualify, one would have to meet the association’s requirements as well as pass oral and written tests.

Professional Certified Investigator certification is offered by ASIS for private investigators wishing to have more substantial credentials. The qualifications are quite straightforward: you must be a high school graduate or of a similar stature, possess five years of working experience in the field of investigation – two of which must be on managing them – and lastly, pass the organization’s exam.

Such certifications take time, effort, and money to acquire but they can be put to good use later on when you’re seeking to prove your worth to new clients. In terms of advancement, there isn’t really a defined hierarchy for private investigators. Ranking, however, may be classified according to the size and scope of the investigation and salary awarded to an investigator.

Other Skills
Reading comprehension skills are important. It makes data collecting and research a simpler task, allowing you to complete your investigation more efficiently. Writing skills are also beneficial to private investigators; a well-written investigation report is something that clients will never fail to appreciate. Communication skills are critical, especially when you are interviewing people or impersonating someone. Technical skills may also be required, depending on the field of investigation you specialize in.

image credits to Ende

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