Youth Incorporated Magazine

Were you a fan of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps? Do ghosts and supernatural elements fascinate you? Do flickering lights, strange noises and the occasional bump in the night truly stimulate your curiosity? If your answer is ‘yes’, then you might consider a career in the area of paranormal science. 

If we were still in the 1980s, we would probably call the Ghostbusters to the rescue in case we experience or witness such a paranormal activity but today we can simply go to an expert i.e a paranormal investigator. A paranormal investigator is a professional who examines mysterious and unexplained occurrences. A person in this area is required to remain calm, sensible and absolutely level headed. One should be able to predict and prepare for upcoming events which may be unexpected and must not panic easily. The person should be able to handle the situation without getting scared and must be able to confidently work under pressure. 

If you have always wanted to dig deep in understanding paranormal activities and are thinking of making money out of it, these are some of the tasks you will have to perform as a paranormal expert:

• Interview a witness of the paranormal activity or a client who hired you to examine the situation.
• Research the history of the site of examination and its locale. This may also include the history of the inhabitants of that area.
• Disprove the possibility of paranormal activity using a logical explanation like unknown electrical discharges or gas leaks etc
• In case there is no logical explanation, use technical equipment like EM meters, ion detectors, thermal imaging etc to justify the supernatural activity.
• You might even arrange to record the happenings using stakes and similar surroundings for the paranormal activity to re-occur.

Institutions Offering Courses in This Area

There are very few universities which teach courses related to paranormal science. The areas of study include, precognition, psychic healing, ESP, spiritual healing, parapsychology and paranormal science. Research and fieldwork are the only two things which will add to your investigative ability. Indian Paranormal Team in Pune and Indian Spectre Paranormal Society in Kolkata offer certified courses in paranormal investigations. They also organize regular meetings, ghost walks, excursions, and spiritual cleansing sessions. The people who actually enter this field are very few in number. Thus people in this area don’t experience much competition. 

Here’s a list of different universities offering courses in this area.

• GRIP Academy
• Andhra University
• Duke University
• University of Amsterdam
• University of Hertfordshire
• The University of Arizona

Scope of Paranormal Sciences

The scope of paranormal sciences is on the rise. Especially in foreign countries, the demand for experts in this area is very high. The Indian Paranormal Society is examining more and more about human behavior and life which is piquing the interest of an increasing number of people in this subject. As a beginner, one may earn about INR 6 lakh per annum. It is a highly paid field in foreign countries and the median earnings can be about 40,000 USD for the people who are established in this area. The earnings really depend on the work experience, job profile, and skills of the expert.

Career and Job Profiles

Paranormal experts should have an eye for a rational cause of the activity under investigation because one looks to reason using supernatural elements only when the logical justifications are ruled out. Troubleshooting skills and research ability is also a must-possess for candidates trying to make it in this area. It could be a little bit difficult for a person to initially find employment since not a lot of people believe in the supernatural in this age of modernity. The professionals can work as freelancers  and provide aid to people looking to get certain circumstances analysed. One may choose to work in the area of paranormal or parapsychological research. Experts can also write books on paranormal topics or deliver lectures in the field. Enthusiasts could also participate in reality TV shows related to paranormal activities. Job profiles in this area include paranormal investigators, paranormal scientists, paranormal researchers and parapsychologists. As uncommon as these professions are today, there are chances that this sphere may rise in the upcoming years.