This is a common word that one sees when you are surfing different sites. But what does it mean and is there really such a word in paranormal research? The thing is, we all should use this in our daily lives as well as when conducting paranormal research/investigation. You not only represent yourself and your team but you also represent the paranormal community. One thing to watch out for is those claiming to be experts in the paranormal field.

From time to time I get e-mails from people asking questions and for our help. They ask us to refer them to an expert if we can’t help them. I inform these people that we are professionals, there are no experts because of the type of science this is, but we can refer them to another professional team in their area.

One of the biggest problems in our field today is the he said/she said type of thing. To me this is very childish. How can you possibly call yourself a professional team if you are putting down other groups to mistakenly make yourself look better? Some of the things we have seen along the way that make a group look bad are:

Making false claims of their group’s abilities, Certification from another group, claiming they are now experts. Instead of bickering and claims of so called paranormal turfs we should be working together and learning and sharing to make this a more respected science in the public’s eye.

You should carry your own weight in this field, don’t blame others and be sure to treat other investigators as you would want to be treated. The same goes for the people in your group; what each member does and how they act is a reflection on the group name and the director. Over the years I have met a lot of great people in the field and one thing I noticed is the way they act and the way they carry their group as well. These groups are the ones that carry the professional label to a T. The groups that are acting professionally in the field, sharing their knowledge with others and using good ethics are the ones that we all want paving the road for future investigators.

The paranormal field is very interesting and is a learning experience every time you go out and conduct an investigation. When you are out doing investigations with other groups, notice the way they conduct themselves; is this the way you want the public to perceive you and your group? Are there things you would do differently? Can you improve on any of the actions being taken? What would you avoid doing? It should be a constant learning process.

The bottom line is always professionalism, show it and use it and you will be respected by the rest of the paranormal community and the public.