Potential Career Opportunities for Paranormal Investigators

Being a paranormal investigator presented a few unexpected career opportunities for me around the time I created Kahuna Research Group, the Big Island of Hawaii's premier paranormal research team back in 2011. Since then I've been a full time entrepreneur and independent researcher.

I never imagined that becoming interested in Hawaii's myths & legends and starting a paranormal group would present the types of career opportunities it did, and I am happy to share those experiences in this blog post with the hopes that it may encourage other paranormal investigators around the world to expand their horizons and consider using their skills as investigators in the professional world.

Writer / Author

Signing copies of my book the Hawai'i Vortex Field Guide at Kona Stories book store.

As paranormal investigators we possess (no pun intended) certain valuable skill sets that may benefit us while on potential career paths, such as a historian, tour guide or writer to name a few.

If you've been investigating for long, you should be quite proficient at researching and collecting data, compiling notes, following deadlines and presenting your findings of any given case to the clients - all of these being critical components to being a writer.

Once you choose the subject matter that you want to write about the possibilities are as endless as your imagination. For me, I chose to write about topics that I am passionate about, such as ancient mysteries, pyramid energy, energy vortexes, Hawaiian myths & legends, and so on. I eventually would like to create a children's book with my son as the inspiration, a cook book (mmmm, food!), and a coloring book for kids and adults both, because why not?

Since 2012, I have authored or co-authored four paperback books and published a total of eight different titles for multiple authors over the years under the imprint of KRG Publishing - the book publishing division of my paranormal research organization. The experience gained from this endeavor is invaluable, and it doesn't end there...monthly book royalties are now one of my main sources of income, and the books I've written and published make great gifts for friends and family and anyone else interested in the subject matter. On top of that, I have become somewhat of an authority figure on many of the topics I've written about. It's neat being considered one of the leading experts on paranormal activity in Hawaii.

QUESTION: What do you like to write about?

Share your stories in the comment section of this post.

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Historian

Working as a historian at the Hawaiian Cultural Center in Kailua Kona, Hawaii

A historian is someone who has spent a considerable amount of time studying or writing about a particular portion of our human past.

As a paranormal investigator, you should be familiar with studying the history of any given city, town, person or location that you are investigating. Gathering historical facts during your investigation will help give you a better overview of what you are dealing with. For instance, if you are investigating a haunted house...was the building possibly built on top of an ancient burial ground? Did an unnecessary death occur at the location in the past? These insights will give you a better perspective into the history of your subject matter, and the more historical research you do the more history you learn overall, and eventually you could get a job working for a museum or company that seeks historians, like the Hawaiian Cultural Center of Kona.

Visit your local library to look at old newspaper articles or books that may be relevant to your subject matter. Most of our human history is recorded in the form of books, poems, videos, magazines and other types of articles. You'll find all of those and more at the library or on the Internet.

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Ghost Tour Guide

Zach with 50+ middle school students from Boston at Big Island Ghost Tours

As a paranormal investigator, you most likely will spend a portion of your investigation speaking with various clients who may be experiencing paranormal activity. After a case is complete, you may spend more time delivering the results of the investigation to your client and you should do so in a clear and concise manner.

Guiding a ghost tour and presenting the ghost stories is very similar to delivering a final case report to a client. You will have the appropriate historical notes to read from along with any new evidence you've collected while investigating the route to deliver an engaging and stellar performance.

Being a ghost tour guide is a great way to share the history & mystery you've learned as a paranormal investigator, and ghost tours in general are becoming more and more popular around the world. The two practically go hand in hand.

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Photographer / Video Producer

One position I offer on my team is photographer or videographer, simply because there's always a need for a camera person while on an investigation. You never know when there will be a 'Kodak Moment."

Having adequate video or camera skills can make all the difference when attempting to capture paranormal activity of any kind.

While I've never actually attempted to be a professional photographer, there's no doubt that these skills can benefit you if you decide to become a professional. Photos can sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars. As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words" is true, certain pictures can also be worth good money for newspapers, magazines, or websites.

Consultant

As the founder and director of Hawaii's premier paranormal research organization, I've gained invaluable knowledge and experience of Hawaii's paranormal activity. This has led to many TV producers from around the world reaching out to me to see if there's any information that I can give them to help with their project. At first, I was very forthcoming with information because I just wanted to help, until I realized that I could actually charge for my paranormal consulting work, and so I do.

I was recently contacted by a production company from Canada looking for any information about paranormal hot spots in Hawaii for a show they are filming. I informed them that my time was not free and they happily agreed to pay me my asking price. When you have gained enough knowledge of a particular subject, you can eventually begin charging for any consultations you do.

Remember, most TV shows have a budget but they will try to squeeze every drop of information they can out of you for free and then leave you high and dry. It's happened one too many times to me, therefore I am always upfront with anyone asking for specific information. I have spent years researching the paranormal and collecting data and that has a certain intrinsic value, but only when you ask for it.

TV Show Host

The ultimate opportunity for a paranormal researcher is undoubtedly being the host of your own paranormal reality TV show. The idea for Paranormal Paradise came in 2016 at the height of my research into Hawaiian paranormal, with producers from California reaching out asking if I would be interested in such a show. Of course I was! Who wouldn't want to be on their own TV show like Paranormal Paradise, traveling around the Pacific to places of magic and mystery?!

The above sizzle reel was developed and pitched to Netflix, SciFi, and Destination America, but at this time it hasn't been picked up by any major network, yet. My team is currently still pitching the idea and we are hoping to begin filming in 2020. How cool would that be?!

Question: Would you watch Paranormal Paradise if it became a network TV show? Would you consider contributing to a crowdfunding project in the case we want to produce it ourselves in Hawaii? Leave a comment below.

Conclusion:

As you have read, being a paranormal investigator really opened up some incredible career opportunities that I never dreamed possible. You just need to believe in yourself, believe in what you do, and anything you set your mind to can be achieved.

Remember to stay positive. Never let anyone tell you that being a paranormal researcher or investigator is a waste of time - in fact, being involved in the paranormal can open one's mind further than ever before, leading to a better understanding of this life...and possibly the next. - ZR