What does a private investigator do on a daily basis?

A private investigator performs surveillance activities for clients, collects and analyzes information, and writes reports and provides testimony on a daily basis. Here are some details on the common daily activities of a private investigator:

• Performs surveillance activities for clients. Private investigators (PIs) conduct surveillance operations for clients on a daily basis. This might be to gather information and data regarding a specific person, event, or location. They use specialized equipment and methods to execute surveillance activities in a discrete manner.
• Collects and analyzes information. PIs can also spend a fair amount of time during their work day in the office and on a computer. Here they might collect and analyze data from online resources, such as public records, databases, and interviews that they have videoed. Verifying facts and cross-checking info is a key part of this task.
• Writes reports and provides testimony. A PI must write reports on their investigations. This might be regarding evidence they collected during the day or testimony from witnesses. It is not uncommon for them to spend time each day writing reports and documenting their findings.