Otherwise you could have just skipped university and signed on with the french fry truck downtown. Finding the right job for you will be a big, fantastic journey. But you're already a good way into the adventure, so you might as well see it through to its eventual destination.

Where to start?

Visit the career centre at your school. If it's a good one, it'll be full of options for students looking for jobs in their field of study.

Sign up for on-campus interviews. Recruiters from major companies often visit university campuses looking for good prospects. It's a great way to get your foot in the door of otherwise hard-to-break employers.

Headhunters and employment services can be a good yet expensive source of job leads. The good news is that you don't have to pay them, and that they don't get paid unless you get a job, so they're going to do their best.

The phone book is an underutilized source of job leads. Decide what types of companies employ people with your skills. Then look for that category in the Yellow Pages. Call up a bunch of companies listed there and talk to their human-resources department.

Networking has become a buzzword in professional circles. Many of the best jobs are never advertised. You just have to know the right people. So the key is to get out there and meet the right people. Don't be afraid to ask everyone you know. Prepare an e-mail stating exactly the type of position you want and send it to everyone you know. You'll be surprised how supportive your friends, family and even casual acquaintances can be. After all, everyone has been there at one time or another. And if they can't immediately connect you with a job, they can often provide some valuable advice on where to look.

What job do I want?
Take time to think about not only what job you want now, but to imagine your possible career progression. Beyond a paycheque, what do you want to get out of a job? What skills do you want to learn and what experiences do you want to gain? Look past your first job to the next step of your career. What job will get you closer to that step?

And while salary is an important part of a job, you should also consider the benefits that come with it. A high-paying job with no benefits may not be as advantageous as a lower salary with a complete benefits package.

Where are you willing to go?
If you want to stay close to home, your job prospects may be limited. If you covet a job in an advertising agency and you live in Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto, you'll have many opportunities. But if you want to be a fashion designer and you aren't willing to move out of Gravenhurst, you may have some trouble finding a job.

If you plan to move to another city for employment, take the expense of that move into consideration. First, different areas have different costs of living. If you are actually considering an offer, make sure you can live on that salary in your new city. And don't forget to figure in moving costs.

When should you start looking?
What's wrong with now? Some experts recommend looking for a job six to nine months before you want the job. But, in reality, you should never stop looking. Constantly keep your eyes open for new opportunities. Keep networking and building your list of contacts. You may decide not to work immediately upon graduation. But it sure would be nice to have the opportunity if you change your mind.

The Resumé (or Curriculum Vitae)
The first thing you need is a Resumé or Curriculum Vitae (CV). Absolutely everyone that may hire you will ask for that first. One glance at it will let potential employers know if you have the experience and qualifications for the position they want to fill. Include your education, your work experience, other applicable experience outside of work and any awards you may have received that are pertinent to the job you're seeking.

The wording of your CV is also very important. It needs to be dynamic. Use action verbs. "Managed all inventory," sounds more active than "in charge of all inventory." Keep in mind who will be reading this document. Employers receive many CVs. They want a CV that speaks to them. But they're also very busy, so be concise. They would much rather read one well-written sentence than four describing the same thing in more detail.

Your CV's appearance is just as important as its contents. After all, this document represents all that a potential employer knows about you. It represents you. If it's unorganized, so must you be. If it's well thought out, nicely structured, and pleasing to the eye, these qualities will reflect well on you.

The Interview
If your CV is well done and your experience matches what the employer is looking for, you have a good chance of making it to the next step of the process: the interview.

The key to success in an interview is to be prepared. Be early, never late. Be well groomed and well dressed (in office attire). Be ready to show your education and training certificates. Research the company as well as you can. Know what it does and how it does it. Be prepared to share some of what you've learned about the company in your interview. It will show that you've got initiative. Also, take your knowledge of the company and determine how you fit in. How can your skills help the company? That is likely to be one of the questions you'll be asked in your interview.

While you're at it, research some standard interview questions and be prepared to answer them. What is your biggest weakness? Where do you see yourself in five years? Certainly there will be questions you don't expect. But at least you can be prepared for some of them.

And the interviewing needn't be one sided. It looks good on a candidate if they show enthusiasm for learning more about a prospective employer. Decide what you want to know about the company. Have questions prepared to ask at your interview.