Job hunting is not the most fun activity in the world. And it can be hard to resist the temptation to spend your time watching tv, meeting up with friends, and doing anything but looking for work. But unfortunately, you get out of it what you put in.

Looking for work is a full time job in itself. And like any job, it requires:

• A willingness to put the work in

• A positive mental attitude

• Organisation

• Discipline

There have never been so many distractions as there are today. You can watch the TV, go on the internet, send text messages on your mobile phone, etc. And if you want to procrastinate rather than job hunt, then these are ideal activities to do. But if you really want a job, and/or really need a job, then you have to put in the hard graft.

With so many jobs advertised on-line these days and so many websites storing peoples CV's, it is all too easy to send off your CV and take the minimum amount of time to apply for the job. You may have done a job or particular type of work before, but if you see a job that you like the look of, you really need to carefully check the following:

• What kind of work experience are they looking for?

• What kind of skills do I need to be able to demonstrate?

• What kind of a person are they looking for?

Once you have found out the above, you can then make sure that your CV matches you up in all areas. If they are looking for someone who is pro-active and a leader, then make sure that you highlight that where possible on your CV. If they are looking for particular work experience, then make sure that you demonstrate that you have achieved excellence in those areas. This is your one chance of getting an interview, so really give it 100%. Instead of rushing your CV off, take time to make sure you have matched it to the key criteria in the job and person specification for that position. Tweak your CV where necessary, so that you are making the best of selling yourself.

10 minutes for applying for jobs is actually 10 minutes wasted. You need to be looking at 3 hours minimum, to understand exactly what they are looking for and producing the best CV to show that you are an ideal candidate who has got what they are looking for. The temptation to rush off a CV and then spend your time doing fun things, is great, but if you want the rewards then you are going to have to put the work in. And that takes time.

You also need to be organised in your job hunting. You do not have to be doing the exact same things every day, but do have a plan for what you want to do during the week. Having a haphazard approach will not help you. Instead, plan your days so you know exactly what you are going to do and for how long. And when you get an interview, you will impress the interviewer by being able to tell them how you structured your days.

There are so many potential ways of searching for jobs, so many different elements, which can include:

• Using social media

• Networking

• Responding to adverts in the papers

• Responding to adverts on company websites

• Responding to adverts on recruitment websites

• Sending off speculative applications

• Attending job fairs

• Informational interviews of people in the area you are looking for work in

You can also look at improving your chances of finding the work you want by:

• Doing voluntary work to learn new skills and keep busy

• Studying

• Training courses you could go on

With all these different elements to consider in your job hunt, it makes sense to have some time management. If you are going to spend a lot of time using social media, how much time per day do you want to spend doing this? If you are networking your contacts, wouldn't it make sense to keep track of how often you contact them and whether they are still aware of your position? How much time per day will you spend looking on-line or offline at job adverts?

Will all of the above to consider doing, you cannot possibly do it all properly if you are rushing things. Considering today's tough job market, it has never been more important to organised and motivated in your job search.