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I want to be the first to know

What’s really going on? Do you like to be the first one to know? Would you like to have information that the majority of the population can’t get hold of?

If you want to have an investigative career, you’ll need a good memory and an eye for detail, as well as a curious mind. Natural investigators love ‘being in the know’, they like to have the facts before others do. Their inquisitiveness will lead them down alleyways others don’t even notice.

These careers use the mind rather than muscle but they are always interesting and sometimes fast-paced and exciting.

COOL AND CALCULATING

Political Journalist – As either a print (newspapers and magazine) or broadcast journalist, focusing on life in Westminster or Washington, you’ll be privy to gossip and secrets, only some of which you’ll be able to pass on to the public.

Financial/Business Journalist – Perhaps the secrets of what a company is doing what is more your thing? If so, take a look at the work of the financial or business correspondent. However, if you want to be even earlier to the business stories, it might be worth considering working as a Financial/Investment Analyst – for either an investment management or a stockbroking house. Analysts keep in regular contact with a group of companies and need to be up to date on growth forecasts and developments, so they are often among the first people to know what’s really going on.

Foreign Correspondent – Stationed overseas, from Gaborone to Hong Kong, you’ll interview everyone from the heads of state, to local activists and chairs of industry, chasing down stories of interest to your audience at home. The major TV stations, national newspapers and newswire organisations all employ overseas correspondents. However, you will probably have honed your news skills in many other posts first.

Undercover Reporter – An undercover reporter may work for a newspaper, magazine or a TV documentary production company. Generally a great deal of experience is called for. You need to be cool in a crisis and an experienced journalist, who is well-versed on the boundaries of what is, and is not, legally possible. You may work near to home or be required to go overseas. This is a dangerous career. You could end up getting on the wrong side of some nasty people.

Corporate Risk Management Specialists – Often also corporate investigators, these specialists assess risk and carry out security surveys. They may provide executive protection, security services and technical surveillance countermeasures. They need to have details about exactly what is going on in a country and the day-to-day changes in risk

Security Consultant – If you are ex-army, secret service or police, or speak many languages, you might find employment in the private part of the security industry in areas such as kidnapping, insurance, intelligence gathering and security. Look at companies such as Control Risks in the UK or CTC in the States to see the type of work on offer.

* UNUSUALLY COOL

MI5 intelligence Officer -

Intelligence officers carry out surveillance operations, run agents, assess and investigate threats to national security or carry out other general management work. They generally work as part of a team. MI5 officers must hold a British passport and the recruitment and vetting process can take at least six months. If you have a second language, you may also work in intelligence work with the service. MI5 has a website that shows current opportunities. MI5 Data Analysts analyse trends in electronic data.

Psychic Investigator -

Psychic and paranormal investigators seek to uncover whether or not hauntings and poltergeist phenomena are genuine. Some are sceptics who want to disprove phenomena. Others may carry out ‘psychic clearings’. They use a variety of methods ranging from the scientific and cynical to the use of self-proclaimed mediums and psychics, depending on the organisation. Research and university-based organisations require scientific training. Independent companies are not necessarily accredited.

Alien/UFO Investigator -

There are a number of independent and scientific organisations researching stories of aliens, alien abduction and UFOs. In a similar vein, investigators of crop circles, cattle mutilations and other phenomena are also popular. Curiosity is clearly a must. Scientific knowledge would theoretically be useful. A related career requiring greater training is astrobiology - these scientists investigate the origin of life on planets.