Ever dreamed of being a PI, tailing suspects and tracking down missing persons? Well, these days it doesn’t have to be a dream. Anyone can become a Private Investigator, but the days of the stereotypical gumshoe in a trench coat are long gone.
Today’s PI can be any gender, age, race or religion. The only prerequisites are a keen sense of curiosity, a rigorous methodology and a knack for getting to the bottom of things.
Here we look at how you too could become a Private Investigator, including the skills you’ll need and the kinds of jobs you’re likely to be doing.
What Private Investigators do
A Private Investigator can have an extremely varied workload. Whether they work for themselves or for a detective agency, law firm, financial institution or insurance company, the kinds of jobs they are often called on to do can include;
Surveillance – discreet observation of persons of interest for the purpose of information gathering.
Skip tracing – using a variety of methods to trace the current whereabouts of a person who is missing or in hiding.
Insurance fraud investigations – monitoring someone who has made a false insurance claim to obtain evidence for legal purposes.
Relationship investigations – discreet investigation of a partner who is suspected of being unfaithful.
Background checks – screening people or companies that clients are considering doing business with.
Asset tracing – locating financial or physical assets that have been deliberately hidden.
Civil and criminal investigations – finding evidence to support a court case.
Some would suggest the biggest benefit of being a Private Investigator is the romance of the job itself. Not everyone can say they spend their days wearing disguises or shadowing suspects and there’s no doubt Private Investigation is one of the more interesting careers.
Other more tangible benefits include;
A competitive salary – around £23,000 a year, but can be more, depending on the kind of work you’re doing.
A flexible lifestyle – if you work for yourself, you can choose your own hours and the clients you work for.
A chance to solve mysteries – you get to test your wits on a daily basis and find solutions to problems that have eluded others.
Skills you’ll need as a PI
Unless you’re Sherlock Holmes, it’s unlikely you could become a successful Private Investigator overnight. There are certain skills you’ll need to have and some you’ll need to learn that will determine whether you make it in the world of private investigation. These include;
Technical skills – Private Investigators use a range of devices in their work and you’ll need to know how to operate them in the field (i.e. capturing evidence-worthy video or photographs).
Driving skills – if required to follow a suspect in a vehicle, you’ll need to have good driving skills to ensure you stay with them without being noticed and without breaking any road rules.
Reporting skills – after conducting an investigation, you will often be called upon to write a report on your findings. This will need to be truthful, accurate and easy to follow, as it may be presented as evidence in court.
Research skills – a lot of research during investigations is carried out on the Internet, so you will need to have a sound knowledge of how to use a search engine as an investigative tool (i.e. reverse phone lookups) and be across all the little-known online tricks and shortcuts.
Disguise skills – using clothing and props to disguise yourself during surveillance is more subtle than just putting on sunglasses or a hat. You will need to learn the subtleties of disguise that allow PI’s to blend into the background when they don’t want to be noticed.
Other talents that will hold you in good stead as a Private Investigator include being a good communicator, having good observation and listening skills and being able to work independently and as part of a team.
Qualifications for becoming a PI
Surprisingly, there are no qualifications for becoming a Private Investigator in the UK. You can obtain a Private Investigator’s licence, providing you don’t have a criminal record, but it is not compulsory to be licensed and you can operate as a PI without one.
So, the only thing that differentiates one PI from another is the amount of knowledge and experience they have and that’s why undergoing training is so important if you want to be successful as a Private Investigator.
ICI’s Executive Diploma of Private Investigation is a course that will teach you everything about PI work, from surveillance and tracing techniques to navigating privacy laws and remaining compliant with the law.
If you’re thinking about a career as a Private Investigator, it will provide you with the tools you need to become a successful PI and give you a head start over others when applying for jobs.
Online, career focused education that suits your lifestyle.
Gladys Mae served as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute (ICI) from 2010 to 2025. A graduate of the University of San Jose - Recoletos with a degree in Mass Communication (Broadcast Media), she brought exceptional communication and organisational strengths to the role. During her 15-year tenure at ICI, Gladys provided decisive leadership, ensured high-quality student support, and played a pivotal role in shaping a positive learning experience for thousands of students. Before joining ICI, Gladys built a diverse professional background through key positions in the banking and business process outsourcing sectors, giving her a strong foundation in customer service, operations management, and team leadership.
