How to Get Hired in the Private Investigator Industry
The need for private investigation throughout the world is rising. The main reason behind is the rising trend in the crime rate. The criminals and wrongdoers daily come up with new strategies and innovative ways for getting easy money. No country is completely clean from such individuals. Private investigators and Private Investigation Firms & Agencies are the places where people reach out if they want to run a background check before hiring an employee. Insurance companies might want to recheck the complete case or accident(s) before releasing funds of medical insurance in the wrong hands.
Private investigators help to conduct background checks, this mainly helps the corporates and the business individuals to verify the cases and to gain trust in their decisions. If a businessman just met an individual online and wants to enter into a partnership agreement. The chances are quite high that he or she might end up doing anything fraudulent and in the end, hurt the business. This is where the background check will help to solidify the deal.
Requirements for becoming a Private Investigator:
From the tip of the iceberg it might feel that private investigators are the heroes, yes they are the heroes but becoming one is not an easy task. One needs the right aptitude, sharp mind and the stamina of digging deep into the details. Following are the main requirements that one must have in order to get hired in the private investigator in Ottawa, Canada.
- Acquiring the License:
Canada, as we know it’s a big country with many provinces. One must have the license of private investigation in that particular province where he or she wants to practice. The private investigation license requirements differ from province to province, one would need to read all the requirements carefully before applying for the license.
- The Criteria:
To fulfil the criteria of becoming an investigator you be at least 19 years old or older. The individual applying should have a clean criminal and police record. Any criminal record or jail time served might put the candidate in rejection and trust issues might arise. Being credible and honest is the first requirement of getting a job in a private investigation. Then you have to take the government’s licensing course, just like all other licenses are verified and released by the government, similarly, the license for private investigation in Canada is also given by the Canadian Government. Lastly, to fulfil the criteria you should obtain at least 2400 hours of experience with a beginner’s license in Private Investigation.
- Undergo Self-Defense Training:
Depending upon which state you live in for example, private investigator, there may be a requirement from the state to have a self-defence weapon and be required to go under firearm training. Self-defence training may be a requirement from your governing authority which mainly includes the proper use of chemical sprays, tasers, stun guns, batons, nightsticks and truncheons.
- Meeting the Minimum Requirements:
Despite education and experience, there are always other minimum requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to be a Private Investigator. These requirements change from state to state, but generally, they are:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a C.A. citizen or legal resident
- Not have been convicted in any jurisdiction of a felony-level offence
- Not be required to register in any state as a sex offender
- Not have been dishonourably discharged from C.A. armed services
- Not have been found by a court to be incompetent by reasons of mental defect or disease
- Passing the Exam – Licence
Depending upon your state, they may cover topics such as criminal laws, state or federal regulations that govern investigator behaviour, procedures and protocols, information gathering, court preparation and etc. The test will vary by location and the licensing will dictate the type of investigation you specialize in.
- Background Check
Once the license is acquired, you will have to undergo a background check to submit your fingerprints to the federal criminal database. You may want to sign/agree with a surity bond as part of carrying the license.
- Maintaining the License
Local or state laws dictate when you should renew your license as a private investigator. You may be required to take continuing education courses before your license expires. The licensing body may also perform a new background check as part of the renewal process.