So, this is part testimonial, part reply, part cautionary tale but mostly a ringing endorsement of IPIU and how time works for and against us.
As for the testimonial part, lets put the "time" part in there as well. All of these things take time. It takes time for IPIU to seemingly work their connections, good will, expertise and let's throw this in the stew too- "magic" to get you good and ready, licensed and on your way to work. It also takes time and patience on your own part to let the process work and the flow- flow.
How did I get into this business. Weirdly by not minding my own. I've answered questions on other sites that somehow, as in regards to this job/profession/mania that "it found me" or "I've been doing it all my life.." just 'round 'bout now that, thanks to IPIU, I'm working and getting paid for it. I've always had a decent memory. I've always been able to catch up to people in a crowd. Not great with names, but never forget a face. If you have any of these "symptoms" you may already be a "Private Detective". If you're a good writer and somehow the phrase "..just the facts.." motivates you and you desire to work and help people...guess what..you may already be a private detective.
Cautionary tale- ah-ha! I'm sure even the surest fingered brain surgeon gets the blues or the burn-out. Their comes a time when the expiration date just flashes before our eyes and we should just call it quits. Sometimes we get it sometimes we don't. Sometimes after case number two we want to rip our hair out-before it falls out and chuck in the nearest towel. Why? The sadness of a divorce case. The uncertainty and eggshells of a child custody. Why has the missing person gone missing? What gives? What's all this then? At times during a case you may wish or think of doing a "psych-eval" of your client. But think of this- the adversity of boiling water. Boil a soft crackable egg- it gets hard. Boil a rock like potato it gets soft. Boil coffee and the coffee stays the same but the water changes. Investigations are hard, the job futile, evidence may not even exist- but it's the job and it's why we're here. Here and on this forum. If you grow too hard or too soft due to the exposure of clients issues for hiring you, just remember- as soon as you cannot see these people as real flesh and blood-worried-flawed-people, take a bunch of steps backward and rethink what YOU want and need to do.
You have to ride both sides of the fence. You have to care about the clients who hire you and see them as people- and have the hard boiled mind set to see "just the facts" to get the job done and the case closed. If you have both- make bloody well sure that you have a positive outlet and positive support in your "real" life or else your're going to get bloody knackered. I f you have neither- you are not a private detective.
Thank you, all of the folks past and present and I'm sure some new one I've not met yet, at IPIU for letting me do what comes naturally, getting me paid for it and being there.
Really, where else can a bunch of investigators, detectives or others of our ilk go where we can be supported and the other end "gets us" (aaah-HA!)
I've been away for a bit longer than a bit, working. Again thanks IPIU. That at the sodding maze of the business of running a business. Taxes. Forms. Quarterlies. The usual four times a year buggar. But that's another forum. Never- you-never-mind-all-that.
Good luck to everyone out there.
Peace and With Good Regard
Jim
Privateer's Investigations Corp. Maryland.