Investigative Agent Skills: Definition And Examples

Updated 22 August 2023

The work of an investigative agent includes maintaining contact and communication with several law enforcement agencies, witnesses, acquaintances of accused individuals and investigating officials. It requires professionals to use investigative abilities to review evidence and verify facts. Investigative agents are required to possess certain abilities to carry out their duties, and if you are interested in this role, you may benefit from knowing what they are. In this article, we examine what investigative skills are, provide some examples of skills, list tips to improve these skills and outline ways to highlight these skills while applying for a job.

What Are Investigative Agent Skills?

Investigative agent skills are abilities required of investigative agents who work to gather accurate data and draw conclusions that reveal important facts concerning their investigation. These skills allow professionals to investigate deeper into a topic and uncover details that others may overlook. Developing the proper skill set can help these professionals perform their roles successfully.

Examples Of Investigative Agent Skills

These are some examples of common investigative agent skills that you may develop:

Problem-solving

Problem-solving abilities aid investigators in compiling and making inferences from the data they collect. Because most investigation work entails solving a case or attempting to learn more about an occurrence, these professionals may learn to figure out how to connect a series of events and to determine if there are tangible links between events and their causes. Effective investigators may analyse data to form conclusions that can help them decide how to proceed with a situation.

Evidence collection

Collecting evidence to locate relevant facts and clues can aid investigators in understanding why something happened or in verifying a particular statement from an individual. Investigators routinely gather evidence by researching cases or visiting and examining crime scenes. Investigators are also required to follow standard legal procedures while gathering evidence.

Truthfulness

Truthfulness enables investigators to avoid bias and ensure fairness while gathering information. Investigators may have access to sensitive information, and it is critical that they strategically choose to reveal or conceal information to facilitate favourable outcomes for case resolution. While gathering information, effective investigators follow a code of ethics and stay truthful about the evidence they present.

Adaptability

The course of an investigation can change as an investigator gathers information, and these professionals benefit greatly from being adaptable. In the context of a case, this may include deviating from an initial enquiry or reconsidering the best course of action periodically. While researching a subject or event, successful investigators strive to remain open to other perspectives. This ability also involves a willingness to use new technology and innovative investigation methods to improve outcomes.

Observation

Another crucial investigative skill is observation, which involves remaining aware of a situation or place. When gathering data, it is common to conduct a survey and take notes on important details. When interviewing a subject, professionals can use this skill to detect body language and identify contradictory statements that can aid in reaching accurate conclusions.

Self-motivation

It is important to stay self-motivated in an investigator's role because these jobs often require you to work independently. Professional investigators are typically persistent in their research, even when faced with regular setbacks. Effective investigators often stay focused on their overarching goal to reach accurate conclusions.

Attention to detail

Details are important elements that can help an investigator build a strong case. They may also investigate potentially contradictory details to see how new information can change the course of an investigation. While presenting cases in court, minor details can contribute to a report's authenticity and accuracy.

Critical thinking

Investigators think critically and make connections while analysing information and data, and this process helps them further an investigation. You may be able to make strong inferences from important details in a case if you possess critical thinking skills. Critical thinking also allows you to separate case information from personal feelings or judgments.

Curiosity

Curiosity and interest in a case can lead an investigator to engage deeply in an enquiry, evaluate different aspects of the investigation and conduct additional research. Curiosity can be a powerful motivator for investigators and it can encourage creative thinking processes that contribute new methods and investigation theories. This quality can also help investigators while they interview subjects in relation to a case. A persistent and curious investigator may ask crucial questions repeatedly depending on a subject's willingness to cooperate with an investigation.

Interviewing skills

Investigators interview suspects, witnesses and other professionals who can provide additional evidence for case analysis. An investigator's interviewing skills are important because interviews and personal accounts can add interesting perspectives to a case. While analysing body language and tone to evaluate the truth value of statements, an investigator may ask the same questions in different ways to obtain information.

Research

Some researchers prefer to conduct their research in an office setting. When doing research, books, newspapers, articles, letters, bank statements and other documentation can provide background information about a situation. It is critical to have a variety of sources supporting your investigation to ensure that the data is reliable and consistent.

Surveillance

An investigator can gather evidence using a variety of surveillance methods. Many of them entail the use of technology, such as social media monitoring, device tracking, internet monitoring and the discovery of video or audio recordings. Investigators may attempt to find the best surveillance spots and keep track of activities that happen within a prescribed perimeter around a site of interest. Cameras and computers aid this process significantly, and many investigators develop their technical literacy to supplement surveillance processes.

Writing

Investigators record and document evidence and their research for presenting to authorities and clients. In court, concise and clear writing can be crucial for accelerating the pace at which case proceedings progress. Investigators often strive to make comprehensive, readable documents that present information in formats that a wide audience can comprehend.

How To Improve Investigative Agent Skills?

Follow these steps to improve your investigative abilities:

1. Find sources

Professionals may source information from multiple sources while conducting investigations. This can assist them in ensuring and verifying the accuracy of the evidence they collect. While writing a report or making recommendations to a client, producing multiple sources allows an investigator to defend the accuracy of their findings. You can also improve your research skills by attempting to find multiple reliable sources as a standard practice.

2. Maintain objectivity

Maintaining an objective stance is necessary for investigators to avoid biases in investigations. This entails separating personal beliefs from research information and case evidence. You can do this by discarding previous judgments consciously and treating each case element as a unique instance.

3. Practise interviewing

Consider interviewing family members or friends to improve your interviewing and evidence-gathering skills. This can help you gain confidence when you are interviewing case subjects and witnesses. Try to write effective questions for mock interviews with an intention of eliciting useful responses.

4. Attend courses and pursue internships

You can identify the skills you want to improve and enrol in courses or internships that focus on those skills. There are conferences for investigators focusing on specific areas of expertise, like forensics and cybernetics. Investigators can also specialise in domains including fraud, arson, homicide and financial crimes.

Investigative Agent Skills In The Workplace

These are some pointers for applying investigative skills in the workplace:

Practise patience. A patient investigator is more likely to ‌focus on data collection and research before they interview witnesses and subjects. It can take a long time to gather information and conduct research, so it is critical to remain patient throughout the investigation to properly analyse crucial information.
Follow a code of ethics. Personal values, investigative procedures and laws can influence an investigator's code of ethics. When an investigation is approaching a conclusion, the investigator's integrity can be critical for determining the evidence's credibility.
Maintain courage. Investigators may work with potentially dangerous subjects and conduct investigations in unsafe areas. They benefit from having the courage to take necessary risks as part of evidence collection and interview processes.
Maintain emotional control. While investigating difficult or sensitive topics, it is critical for an investigator to maintain emotional control by ensuring that their feelings do not impact their judgement.

How To Highlight Investigative Agent Skills?

Here are some tips for highlighting investigative skills:

For resumes and cover letters

Try to include some of the skills from the job description in your resume's skills section or in the body of a cover letter. Identify crucial skills from the job description and include specific instances showcasing those skills. Provide examples of how you used these skills in your previous workplace and provide details of favourable outcomes. This can help employers understand what contributions you can make to an organisation with your specific skills.

For a job interview

While interviewing for a position as an investigative agent, it is beneficial to display your soft skills. Soft skills can reveal a lot about a candidate's workplace interactions, their response to pressure and their professional potential. Some examples of soft skills which may benefit the job of an investigative agent include effective communication, a strong work ethic, active listening skills and resilience.