Well you've got your resume formatted, your portfolio together, you checked the job boards and actually applied. You need to follow up on your applications. Call or email the person you applied with and check the status of your application. Following up will increase your response rate exponentially. You will probably get many quick rejections.
Some positions have stringent requirements, others are more flexible.
Quick rejections give you more time to pursue the job that you can get. The positive responses will also come requests for samples, email queries, and phone calls. This is where the interview process starts. The phone interview is a screening process that helps companies weed out unqualified people. They are not going to request an in-person interview until they are certain that you are a real contender.