How to hire private detectives and investigators
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Conduct personal background investigations, 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. • Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds. • Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases. • Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status. • Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations. • Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence. • Write reports or case summaries to document investigations. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, speaking, critical thinking, reading comprehension, writing and active learning skills • Working knowledge of English Language, customer and personal service, law and government and computers and electronics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $24.62 an hour ($51,220 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for private detectives and investigators
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct private investigations on a paid basis. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What private detectives and investigators do
- Conduct personal background investigations, 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.
- Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.
- Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
- Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.
- Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
- Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.
- Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for private detectives and investigators
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +5.5% over ten years, faster than average · about 3,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay private detectives and investigators
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $76,480 |
| Washington | $64,080 |
| California | $61,250 |
| Arizona | $61,030 |
| Illinois | $60,210 |
| Georgia | $45,060 |
| Louisiana | $41,950 |
| Missouri | $41,600 |
See private detectives and investigators pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators
- Financial Specialists, All Other
- Protective Service Workers, All Other
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Compliance Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Forensic Science Technicians
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Lawyers
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.