This kind of work combines the skills of the genealogist with that of the investigator, but unlike the genealogist my aim is to find living people if I can. This might involve looking at adoption papers to trace the birth family of someone who was adopted as a child. Sometimes my researches can take me way back in time to the early 19th century to look at great grandparents before I can go forward again to the present day to catch all the family I am searching for. Jobs for solicitors are usually concerned with probate and may involve looking for any relatives who could inherit the estate of someone who has died without leaving a will or where the beneficiaries cannot be found.

You have to be sensitive to other people’s feelings as it routinely involves dealing with delicate and private matters where any clumsiness could cause a great deal of distress. It is my usual practice to act as a go-between in initial contacts, especially where a prickly or hostile response is to be expected. On many occasions, the client is attempting to make contact again many years after a family feud has severed all ties.

It is most rewarding work and it is pleasant to help people with a reunion. Life is short and we all have the right to try to find the people that matter to us before it is too late. It is enjoyable doing this kind of family research and it can be quite thrilling when the person you are looking for is found.

The work is painstaking rather than particularly hard. It is all too easy to be swept away in the excitement and start tracking down the wrong person or family. The important thing is to check and recheck all information and look for corroborative evidence at every stage.

The first task is to look at all the information you have. It is always a good idea to write down everything and to ask for any family stories about the person they are looking for. These little snippets of information can seem of dubious value, but they can also provide the clues necessary to solve the mystery.

Much time is spent in archives and in libraries. I am lucky to be based near the Family Records Centre in London where it is easy to look up and order birth, marriage and death certificates for the people I am researching. Much use is made of old electoral registers at the London Metropolitan Archives and at the British Library. Old telephone directories can be studied at the BT Archives and nearby at the Probate Registry you can look up and order wills.

Some investigation is carried out on the Internet and using databases on CD Rom. It is amazing what can be learned with the use of a PC and a search engine like Google.

Sooner or later it is time to use those old-fashioned investigative skills on the telephone or by writing carefully scripted letters to possible relatives. Here is where it is an advantage to employ a researcher to find people, because it is all too easy to frighten them off when you get in touch. They need to be approached gently and given time to get used to the idea of this new contact. They may need to talk with their family and decide whether or not to go any further. Remember, their family may not even know of your existence and you don’t want your sudden arrival to be a nasty shock to them.

For a while it can be useful for the investigator to act as a go-between offering their address for both parties to use until they decide it is ok to take it further. If a meeting is planned it is wise to make it at a neutral location somewhere between their homes. Much like going on a first date, it is best to be careful and not expect too much too soon.

It should be remembered that any search and reunion is bound to be stressful. It is always a good idea to wait until things are reasonably stable in your life before embarking on this kind of journey and it is helpful to have a close friend, relative or a caring partner who can offer support to you over the times of misery and joy that such a search can bring.

Whenever you feel ready to find out what happened to the people missing from your life, I suggest that you shop around a bit before deciding on a researcher to help you. Check that they are a member of a trade organisation like the Association of British Investigators (ABI) or the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA). That way you can be sure that they are working to a code of practice. Try also to find out what the job is going to cost you and then agree a budget for them to work to. There is nothing wrong with being business like. That way you can be sure that you can afford their services and there will be no unpleasantness.

Feel free to drop me a line if I can be of any help in your search. I hope that your reunion is a happy one.

How to find your classmates online? I am going to share my experience in the information below on this. I think that today, more than any other time in history it is WAY easy to find any classmate with the help of the internet.

How do you start? First, see if they are members of a social networking site. Those can include, Facebook, Hi5, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Twitter and many other sites. You now are thinking...wow it's lot of work to search through all of them at once! There must be another way...and there is. There are websites that will search through all of those networks at once. The best ones I found to be Wink.com, 123People.com and Google (yes, Google.) If you enter a person's name via Google you will most likely get a huge list of sites containing that name (most of them will be some of the above I mentioned.)

Nowadays most people are on Facebook. Facebook has a great Friend Finder Search Engine. There you can search BY SCHOOL and BY CLASS YEAR. However, the problem with Facebook is that the demographic there are mostly young people. You might be looking for an older person. In that case, go to these two websites: MyLife.com and Classmates.com. Their demographic is mostly older so you'll be likely to find the people you haven't been able to find on Facebook there.

A great way to search for your classmates is to conduct a background check on them. Wait...why a background check? Because the report you get usually contains very, very useful info like current address, phone number and much more. One of the best companies to get cheap background reports is Intelius

If you have ever gotten on MySpace and seen businesses, you were looking at an example of how to use social media for business promotions. Social media has become one of the most popular methods of advertising, and much of it is free. However, beyond MySpace are several other social media outlets. Here are 5 key outlets for social media and how you can use them.

Key 1: MySpace and Facebook

These are friend finder sites, and should be used as such. When you find friends, you can post bulletins to them and communicate with them seamlessly. You can also advertise special events and invite others on your list.

Key 2: Wikis

Wikipedia is probably the best example, but there are also others. If you are sharing information, you will be establishing yourself as an expert. When you do post to wikis, make sure you back up your post with sources and know what you’re talking about.

Key 3: Virtual Reality Sites

Many people are making a lot of money by participating on games like Second Life and Sims Online. However, before you join a site make sure you won’t be violating rules by making money through your membership.

Key 4: Media Sharing

Have a funny commercial for your business that you and your friends taped just for fun? Post it on YouTube and see what happens. Note: this will only work as long as the subject of your business is not too serious. It would not work, for instance, for a funeral home.

Key 5: Bookmarks

Don’t forget the social bookmark when thinking about social media. These can be very lucrative connections, as can blogging and forums.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, 'Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide'

The most difficult part of online dating is actually choosing a website to sign up for. Before you jump in head first with the first dating site that catches your eye you need know what you are looking. You may be drawn to a great designed site but the fundamentals of the site are what matters.

Everyone loves a bargain, and if people hear the word free they run by the thousands. For the most part, from what I have personally seen online free dating sites come with limitations that I will discuss.

For beginners, owners of free sites need to make money in order to justify the time they spend working on providing that service to consumers for no cost. One way they generate revenue for themselves is to plaster their sites with advertising. Depending on the amount of banner ads the site has it can slow your computer down. If you are on a dialup connection you can really feel it.

Another problem with sites that are free is the lack of features that you have. For instance a website like Adult Friend Finder boasts a ton of features such as online webcam chatting, private phone calls (your phone number is not revealed), online chatting and member blogs.

Besides features, other things you need to take into consideration is online security and the problem of people harassing you online. Free services do not have the man power to moderate their sites the same as a website like Adult Friend Finder can. If someone is stalking you online you can email support and they can ban that person and ip address from using the site.

Also free attracts also types of people including a large percentage who are using the service because it costs them nothing. So you tend get people who are not serious about meeting someone. Bottom line is you get what you pay for. You will be wasting your time with people who aren't serious and probably can't afford to take you on a date.

Pay Sites

Pay dating sites charge a monthly fee charge anywhere from $10 to $35 per month, that's the bad news. The good news, it's worth it if you really are serious about meeting someone.

Pay sites tend to weed out a lot of the psychos out there in many ways. For one thing they need to use a credit card to pay so if they cause trouble they can be tracked down very easily. Moderators need to approve all new members before they can actually log in and start using the dating service. They also need upload a real photo of themselves. Sure they could use a fake photo, taken from somewhere online but other features such as live webcam chat can make it really easy for you to see if the photo personal matches the live webcam you are viewing.

You can sign up for a free trial membership to pay dating services before you pull out your credit card. I recommend trying out a few services on a trial basis before you pay. Test drive a few and see if they have what you are looking for.

You have made the decision to find that long lost friend or family member. Maybe you lost touch over the years and would like to see how the person is. Perhaps you come from an adoption or foster care situation and seek to meet your natural parents. Or it could be you need to locate a person who is a witness or beneficiary in a legal matter. No matter what your reason for finding a person, the question is, where do you start? You will be amazed at what you already know and the relevancy of keeping accurate records of facts gathered along the way.

The first thing you need to do is carefully review what you already know. Such facts you have about the person may include:

- full name and any other names may they have been known by in the past;

- date of birth or approximate age;

- the approximate date and place of your last contact with the person and the circumstances;

- last known address and any previous addresses known to you, including their home town;

- name of schools or universities the person attended;

- place of business, professional organizations and hobbies; and

- names of family members, business associates and friends.

You may not have all these facts, but any combination of information you assemble may turn out to be key in locating the person. Record what you have and put in a secure binder so that you do not lose it. Keeping organized records makes it easier for you to progress in your search, as well as enlist the assistance of an investigator or genealogist.

Once you have written down all the facts you can think of, consider what physical items you might have that could be useful in locating the person, such as:

- birth certificates;

- marriage licenses;

- professional licenses;

- military papers;

- photographs;

- letters in the person's handwriting; and

- death certificates.

Make copies of all the documents, put them into your search binder and return the originals to a secure location in case you need them in the future.

Once you have put together all the basic facts along with documentation and photographs, jot down anything and everything you can think of about the person. Do not worry about making sense or whether your grammar is correct. Brainstorm and just let your thoughts flow for a page or two. What may seem to be ramblings at the time could later develop into an essential clue that helps to locate the missing person. Many people have been found because of what seemed to be an irrelevant titbit, so do not hold anything back.

Now that you have explored your mind for every bit of information, talk to other people you know who also may have facts about the person you are searching for. Mutual friends and family members might know pertinent pieces of information that could help locate the person. As you speak with people, take careful notes of everything they tell you. No matter now small a piece of information seems to be, it could wind up being an important part of the investigation process. Memorialize all your conversations, make copies of the documents and photos given to you and put all the information garnered into your binder.

After reviewing everything you know and have, as well as speaking with everyone you know, you will have a valuable binder of information assembled. You can take this binder to a professional investigator and genealogist who will help you locate the long lost person and make initial contact. An investigator and genealogist has the knowledge and resources to maximize the information you provide to them, as well as deal with the sensitive situation of attempting a reunion once the person is found. Your carefully assembled binder of seemingly common knowledge holds the key to the wonderful journey of finding the person you are looking for.