Being a private investigator is not an easy job. That’s why it helps to start early. That’s exactly what Ernesto Weisburg did when he was just 21. He came across a print ad in the New York Times, and it inspired him to become a private investigator (PI).
Weisburg remembers seeing a man with a suit and a gun in the print ad, and the ad encouraged him to sign up to receive training to become a private investigator. The moment he saw it, he was hooked.
“I thought, wow – that’s interesting, so I decided to sign up and become a PI,” says Weisburg.
Shortly after, Weisburg graduated from the private investigator program and started working for a large private investigation firm. It was a great start to his career, and Weisburg found himself fulfilled and happy on his career path.
Nevertheless, there were many differences between the private investigator job Weisburg was doing and his initial expectations of the career. For example, there was a lot more sitting and waiting – stakeouts and surveillance. The job required attention, focus and most of all, patience.
Ernesto Weisburg decided to give the job everything he had – a strong work ethic, a resilient attitude and a mission to get the job done. As Weisburg was gaining his initial few years of experience on the job, he was also working undercover. According to Weisburg, “It was a lot of fun.” He recalls thoroughly enjoying his career as a private investigator and couldn’t wait to get more experience under his belt.
“I enjoy meeting new people,” says Weisburg.
He says that you need to have highly-developed people skills to excel in the role of a private investigator. You need to understand how people think and operate and you need to be subtle to be careful not to give yourself up.
One of the main skills that private investigators need to have is patience, according to Weisburg. Patience is key because you often have to spend hours conducting surveillance of your target, and you can easily spend the entire day in one place.
The truth is that the career path of a PI is no easy one, but it may be for you if you like a job that’s different from the typical nine to five. Weisburg recommends you give it a chance if you are interested in people and solving problems.
Apart from having exceptional communication skills and specialized knowledge, PIs need to be able to spot details in their environment and beyond to be successful in their role. Demonstrating an understanding about the law, knowing how to operate a camera on-the-go and having technical knowledge about computers is also important and exceedingly relevant.
Ernesto Weisburg says that private investigators are also expected to be organized, confidential and thorough. Today, Weisburg operates his own private investigation business and gets to be his own boss, finding clients online and helping them with investigations.
“This job is exciting and I have a lot of fun,” says Weisburg. His favourite moments are still to this day – when he is on the job.
“You always have to stay focused and pay attention to your surroundings because if you turn your head even for a split second, your target may come out and you may miss everything.”
To learn more about Ernesto Weisburg, you can visit his personal blog.