An investigator is a professional and ethical researcher of truth. One who uses determination, observation, inquiry, examination, and experimentation to obtain evidence and factual information upon which options can be offered and sound decisions will be made. In order for a private investigator to achieve success in an ever changing world of facts, events and personalities basic systematic guidelines must be followed.
The following characteristics are the unique qualities that will help one to become a successful stand out, stand alone investigator. To achieve this level of success an investigator must be suspicious of every person, every event and every clue, the investigator's curiosity must drive from within, observation skills must be sound and impeccable and memory, like and elephant. The investigator must be persistence and tenacious and have a natural bend toward hard work, being resourceful, possess the personality which can draw out the cooperation of others and be unbiased without prejudice of mind, word and deed.
The investigator lives in a world of asking questions repeatedly and seeking information. This means the more questions I ask the more pieces to the puzzle I collect and those pieces will reveal discrepancies, and ever so important Follow Up, the initial questions can draw out even more details and information.
Have a check list and be sure you have collected all the information and evidence, have those ducks in a row. Do not be too confident. Before you complete your investigation, ponder these things, "Have I gotten it all? Is there more? Where is it at? Who might know more? Should I look for more information? Have I overlooked anything or anyone that could make a difference in the result of this case?"
Guard against jumping to conclusions. Never take things on their face value - never make assumptions as the saying goes, "If you ASSUME you make an ASS of U and ME. One can never have too how much information before they begin their search. Watch out for FALSE assumptions which often lead you down the wrong path and promote the loss of valuable case information and evidence.
Make sure that you collect all the evidence find work with it, all the leads, connections and vision is there. Check and recheck all of your evidence to assure that all is in order and aligns with the case facts. Check that; pieces of paper, unusual documents, tool in the wrong place, the debris in a place that doesn't fit, the stain that just doesn't figure in or personal articles of a personal nature that may belong to a possible suspect or other involved party connected to the incident, crime or otherwise. Every piece of evidence can lead to a case breaking investigative lead, don't miss it.
To succeed in this business you need to remember that no one is required to give a private investigator any information so you must be patience, use tact, and most of all be ethical, this will enable you to be successful in using people as source for information.
"Day In The Life Of a PI"
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