A Day in the Life of a Private Investigator: Debunking the Myths and Revealing the Realities

Whenever someone finds out that I used to be a private investigator, their imagination tends to run wild with exaggerated notions of what they believe a private investigator’s life entails. Some of them tell me, “I could be a private investigator; I never stop searching until I find what I’m looking for.” Others daydream about the profession – do you carry guns? Do you save people? Have you ever shot someone? Do you carry a badge? The daily life of a private investigator is often clouded with mystery and misconceptions, largely due to Hollywood portrayals and crime fiction.

Brian Willingham wrote an article a while back about the perception of PI’s in the industry: TLDR – 95% of the people he polled think that private investigators break the law or are shady.

This is primarily due to the fact that as a whole – we don’t talk about the realities of our industry. And the ones who do, hype it up too much, or add fuel to the fire to further smoke the mirrors. One of the things we do with our PI Marketing clients is help demystify their history, experience, and career.

I wish I could say that our world is as exciting as Magnum PI, or all cases can be solved by asking one more question like Columbo, but the reality is a private investigator’s work is far more grounded and mundane.

Morning Routine

Depending on what type of investigations you do, your day will start very early in the morning, or sometime around noon. If you’re an insurance investigator, you’re probably awake and getting ready by 4:00 AM so you can be at the claimant’s home by 5:00 AM so you can follow them to their work site – if you show up late, you just shot your whole day.

If you’re doing something for attorneys, the day will start around their schedule. If you’re working primarily for infidelity cases, the day may start as late as 3:00 PM if you have to conduct surveillance at night. Regardless of when you start, the morning routine will include reviewing last minute case notes.

Fieldwork

The most popular service for private investigators is Surveillance. A supervisor of mine said it best: I don’t count experience in terms of years, I count it in pounds I’ve gained from sitting all day in my car.

A typical surveillance day will range, but on average, you have a good 11 hours a day in a car. I’m thinking about it from Dallas Traffic: 1 Hour Travel to the destination and maybe 2 hours on the way back home in traffic + 8 Hours on Surveillance.

Again, depending on your type of service, investigators also spend time interviewing witnesses, gathering statements, and collecting evidence to build a case. This can involve taking photographs, obtaining / pulling court records and documents, or even searching for people who can help your case..

Office Work

After a good 10 to 11 hours in the field, now you have to work. A significant portion is spent in the office, where we’ll have to conduct background checks, research, and analyze data and evidence. We have to process video, take snapshots, and write detailed reports and case updates for clients, to keep them well informed and up-to-date on the progress of the investigation.

On average, this will take between 1 to 2 Hours – if you’re efficient with your time.

Networking & Marketing

Attending meetings, seminars, and networking events is an important part of an investigator’s professional development. The events can be anything from: Local Chamber of Commerce, ABA Association Events, Mixers, or Business Channels.

The main purpose of networking is to attract more business opportunities. The secondary purpose is to provide investigators with opportunities to learn about the latest best practices, techniques, and technologies in their field. By participating in these events, you can stay up-to-date with current industry trends, which can help better serve clients and improve investigation outcomes.

Downtime and Self-Care

As with any profession, you’ll need to manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance – If you figure how to do this, please let me know.

This includes pursuing personal interests and hobbies outside of work, as well as taking time for self-care and relaxation. Continuous improvement is also important, and many private investigators invest time in training, education, and skill development to stay at the top of their field.

For the most part, a PI life is not for everyone. It’s boring, really, and requires a lot of patience and determination to succeed. The life of a PI is not as glamorous or action-packed as Hollywood and crime novels would have you believe. It involves a combination of fieldwork, office tasks, collaboration, and self-care. I’m not writing this to keep you from becoming a PI. If you’re considering a career in this field, the reality may be different from what you imagined, but if you do become a private investigator, you will have a rewarding and exciting profession.

Ruben Roel

Ruben Roel is the executive manager of PI Feed and founder of Investigator Marketing, a PI marketing agency in Dallas, TX. In his spare time, he's also a writer, video producer, student pilot, and eSports aficionado.