Watching Dad struggle through unemployment can be difficult for a son or daughter to deal with. The job market is tough and many people are competing with one another for the same job with the same credentials. Although he must do most of the work himself, there are steps you can take to be ahead of the game and ensure your dad is doing everything possible to reach his goal to land the job of his dreams.

Teach your dad how to use social networking engines like Facebook and Twitter. He can post a link to his résumé on Twitter and create a business profile on Facebook so that prospective employers find him easily and read what he is looking for. LinkedIn.com is also a valuable networking site for job contacts.

Notify Dad of all the online job search engines that exist. CareerBuilder, Monster, Craigslist and Elance are just a few of many. Make a list of all the sites you can find and give it to him. Check for sites specific to the job he's seeking, such as MediaBistro.com for jobs in media or SalesJobs.com for jobs in sales.

Help your dad using your own skills. If he needs help with his résumé, type it up for him. If he needs help writing a cover letter, write it out for him so that he can see a different perspective. Just be sure he is the one to send it in.

If there are specific companies for which Dad would like to work, check their websites for job listings. Also research each company Dad has an interview with and print out the information for him so that he is well-prepared to ask and answer questions for his interview.

Take him to a One-Stop Career Center. The staffs in these offices are dedicated to helping people find jobs. There is a wealth of information, resources, and free résumé and faxing services available to you. Contact the Employment Development Department (EDD) to locate the local address of the One-Stop Career Center nearest to you. You will find the EDD in the government section of your phone book or online.

Remind Dad to send a thank-you and follow-up note after important interviews. A note will help convince prospective employers that he is interested in the job and will encourage potential employers to keep him in mind for future opportunities even if he doesn't get this one.