OCCUPATION THESAURUS

PRIVATE DETECTIVE



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HELPFUL TIP:

There’s probably a good reason why your character chose their career. Think about how certain talents and skills, a dominant positive or negative trait, or even an emotional wound might have influenced this decision. And once they're on the job, don't forget about the many work-related conflict scenarios you can throw at them to create tension and add complications.
OVERVIEW:
Private detectives are hired by an individual or organization to gather specific information. Working freelance or as part of an agency, they may be tasked with tracking someone's whereabouts (such as a spouse suspected of infidelity), checking a potential employee's background, finding a missing person, or proving that a prominent community figure is involved in criminal activity.

In pursuit of goals like these, private detectives (also called investigators) spend a lot of time doing research, interviewing people, and conducting surveillance. They also may be called upon to testify in court.

NECESSARY TRAINING:
The training regimen for private detectives varies widely depending on where they want to practice. They may need a high school diploma or a criminal justice-related degree, and a minimum amount of experience might be necessary. Regulations commonly include limitations surrounding age, national citizenship, and the person's criminal record.

Once any requirements have been met, private detectives must become licensed to practice. If the individual wants to carry a firearm while working (and the state or locality allows them to do so), additional training and ongoing instruction will be required for that. Anyone working in this field will also need to be familiar with local laws so they can work within them (or break them, should your story require them to do so).

USEFUL SKILLS, TALENTS, OR ABILITIES:
BLENDING IN, CHARM, COMPUTER HACKING, DETAIL-ORIENTED, ENHANCED HEARING, EQUANIMITY, GAINING THE TRUST OF OTHERS, GOOD LISTENING SKILLS, HAGGLING, LIP-READING, A KNACK FOR LANGUAGES, NETWORKING, ORGANIZATION, OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING, PEACEKEEPING, PERFORMING, PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY, READING PEOPLE, SELF-DEFENSE, STAMINA

HELPFUL POSITIVE TRAITS:
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HELPFUL NEGATIVE TRAITS:
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EMOTIONAL WOUNDS THAT MAY HAVE FACTORED INTO THIS OCCUPATION CHOICE:
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SOURCES OF FRICTION:
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PEOPLE THEY MIGHT INTERACT WITH:
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HOW THIS OCCUPATION MIGHT IMPACT ONE'S BASIC NEEDS:
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TWISTING THE STEREOTYPE:
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REASONS THE CHARACTER MAY HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THIS PROFESSION:
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