Reasons to do a background cehck

Checking applicants' references is one of the most important procedures in the hiring process. Many job seekers misrepresent their backgrounds and credentials; others simply leave out important information. And no matter how honest applicants are, you can still learn a great deal by talking to other people who know them well.

These nine tips will help you get the goods on a job applicant:

1. Tell all applicants that you will check their references before you make any hiring decisions.

2. Ask each applicant to sign a release form permitting you to ask detailed questions of former employers and other references (sample background check permission forms are listed on this page).

3. Fax over a copy of the prospective employee's background check waiver and your personal credentials before you call a prospective employee's references.

4. Verify basic information such as employment dates, job titles, salary, and types of jobs performed.

5. Avoid vague questions. Ask specific questions based on what you learned about the applicant in the interview.

6. Pay attention to neutral or negative comments from references.

7. Put less weight on positive references. Some employers give positive references even to bad ex-employees, because they're afraid of legal action or are tired of paying unemployment taxes on the applicant.

8. Use former supervisors or senior coworkers as references. An applicant might not want you to contact their current employer (who might not know about the job hunt), but there are always people who can provide a reference.

9. Don't rely on prospective employees' verbal word regarding salary figures. Ask for a current pay stub to verify employment and pay rate.

Another bit of research you might conduct on a prospective employee is a background check. Not every company does this, and not every position merits it, but it might be appropriate for many of your staff. Hope this post can be helpful to you.

election day is coming

Tho there is no indication there will be a great turn out, you might be surprized to see a Private Investigator in the crowd. Some parties bring Pi's in to protect the canidate, some to keep an eye on the polls. Some to make sure things are fair. In some cases they are highered by one side or the other, the D or R or sometimes both together.

I know my team will be out and about tommorow and i know you will never know they are there.

I also know, no matter the weather, no matter what time, if you want change, you need to vote. Dont complain about the things that can be changed if you dont vote.

If you dont like Drop, fix it, If you dont like whats happening fixed it, go vote.

Granted its only the may election the biggy is in November but if you canidate doesnt make it this time they wont be there in November

in light of recent happenings

in light of the recent news stories, we have been getting calls, facebook comments and the like about what someone could have done to prevent the things that happened recently.


I never really thought about having someone do a background check on their neigbors but that might be the way things are going now a days. Tho it can be done, we can not supply you their dob or SS# but can confirm or deny criminal or civil matters on file.


We always suggest landlords, big or small, do this themselves prior to renting. Even checking one's credit, employer and prior landlord contacts. Most, dont do it. The smart ones do and charge the would be tenant to do this.


I am not saying that would have prevented this matter, im just suggesting that background checks be done prior to renting, employing or dating someone

Dont use those searches you find on line, most are not very accurate and you get what you pay for.


In light of this as well, we have gotten calls to watch people's children or escort them home and inside their home safely until an another adult arrives.

It makes one think about things, even me, the investigator. I am a parent first.


My heart goes out to the famlies involved and the door to Harris Investigations is always open to help.

so you want to be a private investigator?

Oddly, my company is looking for an investigator, so i felt the need to blog about it.

We have gone thru some great people and some not so great people. We have had men, woman and children interview for the job's over the years. some people say retired law enforcement are the best. They could be. Some say women can not do this. Well look at me.

This business changes every day, every minute and people in this business need to think business 24 hours a day. need to think on their feet. Dont want to get into this business becuase of what they see on TV. TRUST ME ITS NOTHING LIKE IT AT ALL. Have a good head on their sholders, can shoot a video and take photos, a very flexible schedule.


Yes, it is that hard to find a good worker.

Yes we are hard on people we bring on board.

yes we are bonded, licensed and insured, making us one step ahead of some of our competition, but yes we are sucessful.


So as i tell everyone. You think you want to do this ? then try. Its not easy. You must have a client base that will stay with you thick and thin. You cant learn this job in a book. You need to learn this from someone and one the streets of Philadelphia so the song says.

Harris Investigations,LLC is an agency with their main office in Lansdale, Pa but with offices in Pittsburgh, Pa, Deptford, NJ and Wilmington, DE


Call us any time at 215-368-1760 or on the web at www.harrisinvestigations.net

what can my blogs do for you?

As an investigator a blog helps me get the word out there on what a Private Investigator really does. Many people think we are like magnum pi, rockford files . Well what can a Private Investigator do for you and why would you need one?

Investigators can-do background checks on your tenants, employees or potential employees, girl/boyfriend and spoouses. they can serve papers in matter. They can secure statements that the other side might not be able to get. they can find your long lost parents if you were adopted. Some even provide security guard services or exective protection.

There are also things that pi's can do like run a tag of the hot girl that drove past you, get phone bills, bank account numbers or credit reports.

You can get an education on what a general private Investigator does right from our website at www.harrisinvestigations.net

Our experience is listed there as well.

Not just anyone can be a PI. You need either years of law enforcement or working for someone else as investigator for years to get licensed in most states. There are still a very few states (i believe its 4 now) that you do not need a license to practice. You do need insurance and a bond. Most cases 1 million/3 million insurance and anywhere from a 10,000 to 50,000 bond.

I love my job and wouldnt trade it for the world, I just want people to undertand what we really do.



More blogs that are not posted to the batch side can be found at harrisinvestigations.blogspot.com. You can also follow our facebook page at Harris Investigations, LLC

Am I really a Private Investigator?

Yes, I am. I have been in this business since 1987. Started my own company here in Lansdale, Pa in 2005. But the next question you will ask is... Wow is it really like what you see on TV? NOPE, not at all. TV is fiction most of the time. Then the next question usually is really? I want to do this? My answer to you is NOPE. First there are about 2000 PI's in Pa alone that are actually licensed. YES, you need to be bonded, licensed and insured. That number is about 1/2 of what it was 3 years ago. The work is just about gone for this field. There are many police officers and federal agents that get into this business and are done in about 3 years. This is a cut throat business as well.



Don't get me wrong, I love my job. Wouldn't trade it for the world. But you have to work 60-80 hours a week, even when there is no work to be done. You are always working or thinking about working. It is by now means glamours. There was a time all we were investigating was fraud. Then it was domestic and divorce cases. Now its little bit of this and little bit of that.

Social media has killed most of the PI work that we used to do on the ground.



So if you were thinking of doing this, think again.

If you think you need a PI, check out our website, www.harrisinvestigations.net for more information.

Not a day goes by

when people and things cease to amaze me. The trend now seems to be criminal investigations (of which we have great retired law enforcement officals helping us with), and more legal investigations. Thirty years ago it was mostly insurance investigations and insurance fraud. For the past 5 years insurance fraud investigations are going by the wayside. Some companies do not invetigate claims any more, some raised their investigation limits, some have claim reps do their own investigations. Many rely on untruths they find on the internet believing everything they find, only to get hurt in court.

Social media has taken alot of surveillance away from people, so remember what is on the internet will come back and bite you in the ass if you dont watch what you are doing.

I love my job and love the friends , collegues and clients we have met along the way. I cant imagine doing anything more!

How do I become a PI?

Gee i get that call two lot from May to June or every time a sememster ends. Can i come intern or how do i get your job? I tell people DONT, RUN. In this business its all about who you know. I was lucky. I had clients that begged me to start my own firm after being elsewhere for some time. They came with me. From that I obtained more. I get calls all the time from retired FBI agents or Cops getting into this about how to get work or stay in the business. I cant help them. Alot of companies have closed vendor lists and you cant get on them.

I love my job and spend hours each day looking for the new client or the new leads. My husband and i put at least 120 hours a week into this company, leaving not alot of time for sleep or kids.

but to answer the question.. alot depends on where you live, what the rules are so you have to start there.

There is no school for Pi's that is worth you money so save that time and money.. you have to work your way up the food chain like all the rest of the gumshoes have

that time of year

While sitting here wondering what to post to the blog today, i wondered... What should I really write. Then i thought.. i must get dozens of calls a week saying can you do this? I say no. then i get well why not they do it on TV. I too love those TV Shows like NCIS, Magnum PI, Rockford Files, CSI etc,. but come on people that's tv. Today a man asked me why i cant put a camera in a hotel room where he knew his wife was having an affair. I said becuase thats tv. He said well cheaters is supposed to be pi's. I tried to explain they were recorded in their homes not a hotel and that you can put anything you want in your own home provided its your own home. Mad he hung up.

I get those calls alot but how do you have someone believe you that its only tv. After 30 years in the field and 5 of them at my own company, I am pretty sure i know what i can do and cant do legally.

So i tell them, I am sure there are Pi's out there that will do it but its not legal and it wont stand up in court.

I wish them luck and remind them to get someone that is bonded, licensed and insured in the state or states they do your work in.

Funny they always call me back .. then their price goes up..