At Northern Virginia-based Capital One, more than half of all new hires come from referrals inside the company. Those employment advertisements in your local newspaper may not be the best place to find the perfect job. I'd glanced at job ads before, but I found more information in the programs I was taking at school than from the paper. However, the newspaper is a good place to start on a lazy Sunday morning after you've read the funnies. That internship led to a permanent position after graduation.
Internships are a great way to get experience while still in school.
If you've picked a career, it might be a good idea to find an internship in that field to test the waters before jumping in. The best job market in 30 years has sparked a bunch of job fairs. Depending on the scope of the fair, companies may take applications, interview and hire on the spot, or just offer a bevy of information about the company to potential employees. The fairs can be a little heady and not too productive. But if you're interested in getting some general information, they can be a good place to start.