Interview with a Private Investigator

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If you've ever thought about becoming a private investigator, this interview is for you. Learn about what PIs do, and get tips from a veteran in the field.

Susan Watts
Job Title: Chief Investigator
Years in Field: 20

How did you become a private investigator?

I just fell into it. After college I didn't have any marketable skills – I said, "what am I going to do to make money?" I got a paralegal certificate, and did an internship with the public defender's office in Seattle. They get so many cases, and don't have enough manpower, so they use interns for the simple cases. I got hired in '85. Later I got a license so I could work on my own as an independent contractor. You need 3 years of experience to get a license, and in some states you also need to take a test.

What do you most enjoy about being a private investigator?

I like criminal defense work, it's the most interesting. I get to go out and interview people; I don't like sitting at a desk all day. Everybody has a story to tell. I like creatively figuring out issues in the case, taking the ball and running with it. The feeling of going to trial, knowing your guy is innocent and you can show why.

I read the police report from the district attorney's office. The attorney talks to the client, then I talk to the client, then I interview witnesses. There are always several sides to every story, there's so much information the police just leave out. They don't interview all the witnesses, they don't always tell the truth, they want to cover themselves.

I look for the rest of the story. Maybe the guy is mentally ill, or maybe he didn't do it, or he was under the influence of drugs. There are several defenses; you're fighting for someone's life and liberty. You make sure the prosecutor is doing their job right, and you try to get the best deal for your client.

What's most difficult about being a private investigator?

The worst feeling is knowing that your guy is innocent and having him get convicted – that's hard to deal with. When you believe in your client, based on the evidence, you go to trial and you think you're going to win, and you loose. His family cries. That's really hard.

Some of the stories are hard to listen to, like people who were beaten by their parents. I've had cases where I interview a person as a victim and the next week they're a defendant.

How do you handle the day-to-day challenges of your job?

I have a lot of cases and I have to prioritize, which is the most important. I have to write a lot of reports. I do encounter people that don't want to talk to me – they say, "Oh, you represent that guy, we don't like you." I try to persuade them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm always nice. If you're rude to them, forget it, they will never talk to you. Some people will start out hostile, and by the end of the call they're spilling their guts to me.

I think women make better investigators, because we’re less intimidating.

What misconceptions do people have about private investigation?

PIs on TV are so glamorous, but it's not as glamorous as people think; there's grunt work to every job. It's possible to make a lot of money, but mostly you don't. Public defense work doesn't make a lot.

What skills are most important for people who want to become private investigators?

To be patient and listen to people. It helps to be a mature person. When I was 25 I was petrified going to jail, but now it's no big deal. You have to have communication, writing and computer skills. There's so much information on the Internet that we used to find by leg work. Now you plug in the name, use search engines, and you can find a person's whole background.

Also read our article on becoming a Private Detective.

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