Female Investigator in Michigan
What is it really like to be a Female Investigator in Michigan
What is it really like being a female investigator in Michigan? With International Women’s Day occurring last week, it seemed like a good time to shed some light on what it is like being a female investigator working in this mainly male-dominant field. You could say being a detective runs in my blood. My father is a well-known retired police detective. He worked all over the Metro-Detroit area with his specialty being surveillance. When I fell into this line of work, he explained to me that being a successful investigator required the accumulation of different skills, or “tools” as he calls them. Each case is different and you need to be able to reach into your toolbag and pull out different ones as needed. In a short time, this female investigator discovered she had her own set of tools and learned how to use them effectively.
I did a surveillance in Farmington Hills, MI. it was at a public event that was geared towards women. My subject, a lady collecting disability, was working the event. We have many skilled and talented male surveillance detectives that could have successfully handled the event. With the help of our top-notch cameras and surveillance tools, video evidence of her capabilities would have been gathered regardless. However, I was able to actually attend the event and, with the help of a hidden camera disguised as a pen, I obtained video evidence of our subject mingling, hosting and even serving me.
While a handy hidden camera and other tangible items are useful tools, they are not the ones I use daily. This is not a career that you can 100% train or be educated for. You have to be a quick-thinker. Each investigator has his or her own strengths but being able to think fast is required for all. I have found that my personal strength is communication skills. Although I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Rochester College, it is my natural ability to organically lead a conversation that sets me apart. Female investigators tend to have an edge here. We can ask questions and sound sincere when our male counterparts might sound suspicious. When I am the one seeking information, this has proven to be a huge asset. It can also backfire though. Many times, when on the phone with clients inquiring about spousal surveillance, I find myself feeling more like a bartender than female investigator. Women find a “friendly voice” they can vent to about their (potentially) cheating husbands. Men have a caring female voice listening to them, most likely the first woman they have opened up to regarding their situation. Regardless of the reason, I have heard many intimate details of other people’s relationships. With all careers, there are drawbacks. As a female investigator, this would be one of them in my opinion.
There are far more perks to being a female investigator in Michigan than drawbacks though. For starters, the teamwork. I have found the best partners while working at ASG. My two favorites happen to be males. The dynamic of their strengths combined with mine typically results in exceeding expectations. I enjoy working in a male dominant field. The catty-ness is eliminated and replaced with efficient, goal-oriented work. I also enjoy a job that forces me to continually think. Every case is different and, more so, every conversation is. It cannot get boring or the work will get sloppy. Finally, it is an added bonus to share this type of work with my father. I know he is proud that I am a female investigator in Michigan.
If you would like to speak with a female investigator in Michigan, or one of my talented partners, please call us today.