Having spent some time being unemployed I know how stressful it can be when involved in a job search. While loved ones are putting pressure upon you to hurry up and find a job you spend all your time traipsing websites hunting for something that will suit you. Unfortunately this search can sometimes be fruitless; demoralisation and stress soon follow. Keeping motivated is fundamental when job hunting, not only for your own sanity but also to have any chances of success.

Speaking to a friend who is currently embroiled in a job search last night he reminded me of how I was a few months ago. He had just begun to look for a job having travelled extensively for the entire previous year. I felt sorry for him as I had spent nearly six months in a job search and knew that work does not just fall into your lap; to succeed you must actively hunt down job opportunities.

There are a number of ways in which to conduct a job search, despite what some modern commentators have suggested it is not just the modern job hunting methods that are successful in contemporary business. Granted the internet has made the process of searching for a job easier, there are numerous websites that contain vacancy listings but these can not always be suitable.

In the case of my friend he still did not know which career sector he wanted to enter. This makes the vast job search websites next to pointless as the majority of the time they are divided along industry and sector lines. I told my friend that the best way for him to find the right sector would be to visit a dedicated career advisory service; from here he could find the right sector and begin his job search in earnest.

Once the sector is defined it is possible to search for job roles. Again the internet is helpful here as many times the vacancies are listed in regional terms opening the possibility of work within the local area. I told my friend that once he had found a few job roles that he was interested in the real work would begin. This is where the old methods can be extremely useful in making employers aware that you are out there and available.

The best of these old methods that will assist a job search is writing letters. Forgotten by many as email is so much faster and efficient, the art of letter writing has died out somewhat. This does not mean however that letters will not be appreciated; employers still like to see skills such as these, and if the rest of the applicants fail to write directly, could put you well ahead of the pack. My friend understood that getting any advantage over the competition was vital in being a successful candidate.

What must be remembered however is that once any letter has gone out to a prospective employer a follow up phone call must be made. It is too easy for a receptionist to just put your correspondence on a pile and forget about it. Here a phone call can ensure your letter is read as well as giving the employer a better idea of your phone manner and personality. Putting yourself at the forefront of the employers mind is a useful tool in any job search.

I hope my fiend will find a job in the near future, before his family become too annoyed with him sitting around the house all day. I told him to keep the search up no matter how demoralised he feels and strive to search for a job daily. Perseverance is the key to finding employment, no matter how often you may be knocked back it is important to keep your motivation and remember that if you look regularly a job that suits you will eventually turn up.