You just spent four years of your life - maybe more - working your tail off. Now that you're done, all you really want to do is relax. Well, resist that urge. It's not time yet. If you're like most people, you need work, and you didn't come this far just to end up in a miserable, dead-end job.

Finding the right job is a huge project. It requires dedication, thoughtful examination, self-knowledge. Oh, and work - it requires work. Keep the following things in mind as you move out into the job market:

Start looking: The first step in any journey is, well, the first step. In this case, your first step is to start looking for work, and right now. Sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many people have trouble with this one.

Stop by your school's career center. If you get a great job, you have more money to kick back to the school as an alumni donor, so let's just say they're motivated to help you out. Sign up for on-campus interviews. Recruiters from major companies often visit college campuses looking for good prospects, and you're a good prospect.

Consider contacting a headhunter - it could be expensive, but it's a good way to get good job leads. And anyway, it's never to soon to start a relationship with someone whose job it is to fill employment holes.

In the end, that's the biggest thing - knowing people who know about jobs. You're probably sick of the word networking, but it's overused for a reason - because it's important. Look, nobody's going to hire you if they've never heard of you, and the best way to get your name out there is get help from other people.

Send an e-mail stating exactly the type of job you're looking for to everyone you know. If you're realistic about your prospects, you'll be amazed at how supportive your friends, family and even casual acquaintances can be. Everyone's been where you are now.

What job do I want? We hope you considered this question before you sent that e-mail. Figure out what you want to do right now, and have some idea what you want to do in five years. Beyond earning a paycheck, 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?

Also, while money's important, don't fixate on salary. Good experience at the start of your career will help you get the salary you want down the line.

The resume: This is the first thing anyone's going to ask you for, so you'd better have one ready, and a good one at that. Yes, it stinks that your whole life comes down to one sheet of expensive, cottony paper, but the fact is it's the quickest way for an employer to size you up. Include only relevant information: education, work experience (paid or unpaid), other applicable experience outside of work, and any awards you may have received that attest to skills applicable to the job you are seeking. Don't list your hobbies unless they're relevant. Ditto your myspace screen name.

It should read well. Use action verbs -- "managed all inventory," rather than "in charge of all inventory." And be concise. We know your experience is limited at this point and you may be looking for ways to fill out the page, but don't use four sentences where you can use one. It's just as irritating on a resume as it is in real life.

Oh, and make it look good. For all intents and purposes, your resume is you. If it's disorganized, you look disorganized. If you've got typos in there, you look ignorant. But if it's clean and well-thought out, you look, well, like someone worth hiring.

The interview: Your resume can open doors, but you still need to sell yourself in person. That's where the interview comes in.

The key to success in an interview is to be prepared. Know the company and the industry. More importantly, figure out where you fit in to that picture. How can you help the company? You may be asked exactly that.

Be ready for the standard interview questions - the ones everyone hates. What's your biggest weakness? Where do you see yourself in five years? Just because they're unimaginative questions doesn't mean you shouldn't have good answers ready. Trust us, people will ask them.

And have some questions of your own ready: about the company, about the job, about the opportunities for advancement. (Not about the salary - that's presumptuous.) You want to leave them with the impression that you've thought about this job - i.e., that you care.

Have offer...will travel? How far are you willing to go in pursuit of your dream? Give it some serious thought. Depending on your goals, your decision may be made for you - if you want to be a fashion designer and you're in North Dakota, you may need to extend your search, you know what we're saying?

Of course, moving brings with it new considerations. Thirty grand a year may be a pretty good starting salary in Indianapolis, but if you want to live in, say, New York City, it could be tough to get by. Of course, we don't know how you like to live - you do. Just make sure you factor in cost of living when you consider taking a job elsewhere.