The main challenges of the job entail high stress levels and long hours. Also, it is a highly competitive field, with only the most highly qualified being accepted into the most sought-after positions. However, it is also true that there is an increasing demand for lawyers. My existing attributes for the job include an ability to reason, a love for research, and excellent public speaking skills. I also have a college degree in political science, and am well versed in research skills.

Profile: Private Investigator appears to have a somewhat glamorous and exciting job description. I am not certain that reality will prove this perception wrong. However, it is true that to reach such a professional position, many years need to be spent in related professions such as law enforcement or corrections. It is therefore not a case of simply going to college to learn the profession. More often than not, private investigating is a job that is most effectively learned in the field.

In addition to some college training in a related field, the private investigator also needs technical skills such as surveillance and computer skills. Such a person would also need a great amount of patience, as surveillance more often than not takes a significant amount of observation from a car or other location. Investigators should also have ample amounts of ambition, diligence and creativity. Communication and thinking skills are essential, along with an ability to face and confront problems.

Advancement in the position generally entails a raise...

As with the position of lawyer, private detective work is a popular profession, and competition tends to be significant, although the demand also mitigates this. The salary for the profession was an average of $29,300 during 2002, with the lowest 10% making less than $17,290 and the highest more than $57,370.
Challenges of the job include hazardous conditions during field work or surveillance, long hours of essentially doing no more than observe a target, a significant amount of stress and relatively low pay.

If I were to choose between the two, I would consider two main issues: the salary offered by the profession and the relative excitement offered. While it initially appears that being a private detective is an exciting and glamorous job, I am somewhat discouraged by the surveillance issue and the relatively low salary. Being a lawyer also offers excitement and the opportunity for starting an independent business, but in addition offers a much higher potential salary. If presented with a choice, I would therefore prefer to be a lawyer rather than a private detective.

Sources

Career Overview (2004). Private Detective and Investigator. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. Of Labor. http://www.careeroverview.com/detective-investigator-careers.html

Career Overview (2004). Lawyer, Attorney & Legal Careers. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. Of Labor. http://www.careeroverview.com/lawyer-and-legal-careers.html