Private Investigators
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Private Investigators conduct investigations for clients and prepare evidence for court proceedings.
Also known as: Private Inquiry Agent.
A certificate III or IV in investigative services is usually needed to work as a Private Investigator.
Tasks
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Investigates shoplifting, theft, dishonesty or other undesirable conduct.
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Makes inquiries concerning property and seeks, obtains or supplies information pertaining to the personal character, financial position, occupation or whereabouts of any person.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Light
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Security Officers and Guards, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 59% of people employed as Private Investigators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 7 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 46 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Private Investigators work in the Public administration and safety industry. They are also employed in industries like:
- Financial and insurance services
- Administrative and support services
- Professional, scientific and technical services.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Private Investigators | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 39.5 | 31.6 |
VIC | 29.9 | 25.6 |
QLD | 10.7 | 20.0 |
SA | 5.2 | 7.0 |
WA | 9.6 | 10.8 |
TAS | 2.7 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.7 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.6 | 1.9 |
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Around 70% of Private Investigators live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
New South Wales and Victoria have a large share of employment relative to their population size.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Private Investigators is 49 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 28% of the workforce. This is 20 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Private Investigators | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 1.0 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 11.4 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 22.8 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 30.5 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 10.7 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 12.3 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 11.4 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 49 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
A certificate III or IV in investigative services is usually needed to work as a Private Investigator.
Registration or licencing may be required.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Property Services and Public Sector VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Private Investigators | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 7.6 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 14.1 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 20.4 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 32.5 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 13.2 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 3.5 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 8.8 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Security Officers and Guards who can connect with others, are trustworthy, responsible and reliable.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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59%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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55%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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52%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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50%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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50%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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48%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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48%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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43%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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43%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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43%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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41%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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41%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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41%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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41%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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41%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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32%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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30%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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29%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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68%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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65%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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64%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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60%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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58%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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53%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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51%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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50%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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47%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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40%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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40%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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39%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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33%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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32%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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31%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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30%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
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30%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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28%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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23%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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23%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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59%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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59%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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57%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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57%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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57%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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57%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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54%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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54%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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52%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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50%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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48%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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48%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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48%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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46%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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45%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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45%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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43%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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39%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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37%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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73%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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68%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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67%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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67%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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66%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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66%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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65%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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63%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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62%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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61%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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61%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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60%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
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60%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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60%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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58%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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53%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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49%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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49%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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48%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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41%
Driving vehicles or equipmentRunning, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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95%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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71%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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52%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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48%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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43%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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19%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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76%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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76%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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62%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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55%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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48%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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38%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Demands
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99%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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96%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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95%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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92%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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88%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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87%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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86%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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84%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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84%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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83%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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83%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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80%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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78%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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77%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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69%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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66%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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65%
In an enclosed vehicle or equipmentWork in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).
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64%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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62%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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61%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 33-9021.00 - Private Detectives and Investigators.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.