This example is for private investigators at detective agencies, investigation specialists in companies and insurers, and former officers moving into the private sector.
An agency head or a law firm is looking for someone reliable, discreet and acting within the law. On your CV, show your licence, the types of cases and the quality of your reports, without details that could reveal clients.
Private investigator with 8 years of experience at a detective agency, and 10 years in the Police before that. I handle business and insurance cases, surveillance and asset searches. I prepare reports that law firms use in court proceedings.
Work experience
Private investigator
01.2018 - present
Detective agency, Warsaw
Handling about 40 cases a year: business, insurance and civil.
Surveillance and documentation in line with the law on detective services.
Asset searches and vetting business partners for companies.
Reports and documentation for law firms and courts.
Working with company security teams on employee fraud.
Police officer, investigations department
2008 - 2017
Police headquarters, Warsaw
Running preliminary investigations into property crime.
Interviewing witnesses and securing evidence.
Working with the prosecutor's office.
Education
Law, master's degree
2003 - 2008
University of Warsaw
Skills
Surveillance and documentation
Asset searches
Vetting business partners
Open source intelligence
Reports for court proceedings
Knowledge of criminal and civil law
Licences and training
Licence to provide detective services
Open source intelligence training, 2022
Corporate fraud detection training, 2023
Languages
English: B2
Russian: B1
Additional information
Category B driving licence
Available for fieldwork and unusual hours
I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).
How to write a private investigator CV
Professional summary
Give your licence, years of experience and the types of cases you specialise in. If you have a background in the services, mention it in one sentence. Show that you work reliably and within the law.
Investigation specialist with 4 years of experience at an insurance company. I check suspicious claims, analyse documents and prepare reports for the legal department. I want to work at a detective agency.
Experience: duties and achievements
Describe the types of cases, the number of assignments and who receives your reports. Do not give client names or case details. The type of case and the outcome of your work are enough, such as a report being used in proceedings.
Weaker: Handling cases.
Better: Handling about 40 cases a year: business, insurance and civil.
Weaker: Checking companies.
Better: Asset searches and vetting business partners for companies.
Weaker: Writing reports.
Better: Reports and documentation for law firms, used in court proceedings.
Skills worth listing
List your working methods and knowledge of the law. Under personal skills, focus on discretion, patience and accuracy in documentation.
Professional skills
Surveillance
Asset and address searches
Document analysis
Open source intelligence
Photographic documentation
Knowledge of the law
Personal skills
Discretion
Patience
Observation skills
Reliability
Handling stress
Licences and training
List your licence to provide detective services. Add training in open source intelligence, fraud detection and data protection. If you have a law degree, put it higher up, because it is a big advantage.
Private investigator CV with no experience
People often move into this job from the police, the army, security, insurance and company security teams. Describe your experience in analysis, documentation and working with the law.
Say that you have your licence or are in the process of getting it, and that you can do fieldwork and work unusual hours.
Tailoring your CV to the job offer
A detective agency looks for surveillance and inquiry experience, an insurer for checking claims, and a company security team for fraud detection. Move what the offer is about to the top.
The most common mistakes on a private investigator CV
Revealing client names or case details.
No information about your licence.
A general "conducting investigations" without the type of cases.
Leaving out previous service, if you have it.
Descriptions suggesting actions outside the law.
Questions and answers
What should a private investigator put on a CV?
Your licence, the types of cases, number of assignments, working methods, who receives your reports, education, training and languages, without client data.
Should a former police officer describe their service on an investigator CV?
Yes, briefly: the department, years of service and type of cases. It is important experience for a detective agency.
How do I describe cases without revealing clients?
Give the type of case and the outcome, for example "asset search used in enforcement proceedings", without names or details.
What education is useful for a private investigator?
Usually law, administration or security studies. Practical training matters too.
Create a private investigator CV in the builder
In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.