Would you like to be a professional ghost hunter?
In most cases, being able to support yourself as a ghost hunter requires a certain level of fame. For continued success, you’ll need to catch each fleeting wave of popularity, or live in an area with enough worrisome hauntings to provide steady, local income.
Careers can include:
- Consulting for clients with concerns about their haunted homes or businesses.
- Consulting for ghost-related movies and TV shows. (This includes location scouting.)
- Writing books and articles about ghosts, ghost hunting, and haunted places.
- Writing scripts for ghost-related movies, TV shows, podcasts, etc.
- Using social media, especially video sites like YouTube, for commercial support.
- Creating and/or selling ghost-hunting equipment or being a successful affiliate for related businesses.
None of these guarantee steady income for more than a few years, and rely on related topics trending.
Here are the articles I’ve written over the past 25+ years. Depending on when you’re reading this, some will be more useful than others. (For example, in 2004, I turned down dozens of TV shows. In 2024, I was dodging producers’ calls; most wanted my insights and advice, gratis. Aside from YouTube, there wasn’t much income from ghost hunting. Your results may vary.)
Ghost Hunting on TV… Is It Real or Not?
Since I’ve been a resource for TV and movie producers, people ask me if ghost hunting on TV shows are real. The (too simple) answer is no, they’re not. Those shows may represent what we do, as ghost hunters. But even the most authentic shows are edited to make them more entertaining. They have to … Continue reading "Ghost Hunting on TV… Is It Real or Not?"
Making Money in Ghost Hunting
Some people are in this field for fame and/or fortune. I’m not one of them, and I hope that you’re not. I know absolutely no one, personally, who’s getting rich as a paranormal investigator. In fact, most TV stars that I know… they have day jobs. However, most of us would prefer to work full-time … Continue reading "Making Money in Ghost Hunting"
Interview with a Ghost Hunting Pro – Sean Paradis
Sean Paradis has been a great friend and researcher partner for many years. I respect him tremendously. He has an innate gift for identifying the most haunted locations, and the most active areas at each one. Working with Sean was a tremendous help when I was writing Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries. Here’s my recent … Continue reading "Interview with a Ghost Hunting Pro – Sean Paradis"
Interview with a Pro – Lesley Marden
For several years, Lesley Marden — the author of Medium, Rare — has been among my closest friends and research associates. In December 2011, I decided to start interviewing interesting people involved in paranormal research of all kinds. Lesley was my first subject. The following is a transcript of our conversation. Let’s start with the … Continue reading "Interview with a Pro – Lesley Marden"
Ghost Hunters – How Much Do You Charge?
How much do ghost hunters really charge? Here’s what you need to know Most investigators don’t charge residents who are worried that their home is haunted. However, many ghost-hunting teams charge businesses—including hotels and restaurants—that want to advertise that they’re haunted. Between those two extremes, I think it’s reasonable to expect a client to cover … Continue reading "Ghost Hunters – How Much Do You Charge?"
Ghost Hunters TV Show – Fake?
“Is Ghost Hunters TV show a fake?” “Are the Ghost Hunters fake?” “Did TAPS fake their Halloween 2008 show?” Starting the first of November, 2008, the emails poured in. Each of them asked me questions like those. I was going to ignore them, but similar emails continued to flood my inbox. So, here’s my answer, … Continue reading "Ghost Hunters TV Show – Fake?"
Parapsychology Degrees
Parapsychology Degrees – or a degree in Paranormal Studies – can open the door to many ghost-hunting opportunities. As Gertrude Schmeidler said in her 1972 report to the American Society for Psychical Research, “The Ph.D. is the union card.” It doesn’t assure you that people will take you seriously… but it can help. However, most … Continue reading "Parapsychology Degrees"
Interview with a Pro – Jamie of Chicagoland Ghosts
Background: I’ve known Jamie for many years and respect his enthusiasm for ghost hunting, as well as his integrity as a researcher with a solid background in science. When I decided to add an interview section to this website, he was a logical choice for this, my first (2006) interview. Jamie’s popular Chicagoland Ghosts website … Continue reading "Interview with a Pro – Jamie of Chicagoland Ghosts"