This all depends on your profession, for me I'm an undergrad studying Electrical Engineering. The demands of engineers are very high these days, so all you have to do is to do well in school and a job would be lined up after you graduate, or that's what my parents say, (except it was for the field of medicine, but it's not different with engineering) however the hiring process is quite rugged and cut-throat. I've sent out many resumes to the engineering firms and never heard back from them. Although I don't know if I should be putting my 2-cents in this thread since I am currently employed at a company which I choose to not divulge the identity of, ask me later if you want. But I've taken a class where they teach you how to write in manners to not get yourself fired. I think that class was very helpful in the way that it makes you pay more attention to who you're trying to appeal to. Though the course was mainly common sense but now I'm more aware of the little details in the works. Technical wiriting is the course.
Motivation and pride can really affect what kind of job you get. My first job was working for my aunt in a packing shed in Brewster, and you know what happens with family businesses, 80 hour weeks and no overtime. I hated that job, but it became a motivation for me to never work in that enviornment again, for if I don't find a job next year, my father will force me back into that place. So I started searching, desperately, for anything that's not packing cherries.
I know the feeling of being unemployed, it's boring wasting your life away at home while all your friends are making money and buying neat toys. So my advice to you guys is to start early in your applications, and take anything you can get (well almost anything). Do what you can to appeal to the other side and convince them that you are fit for the position. and finally don't give up. keep trying. Out of the hundreds of resumes I've sent out, I've gotten 2 interviews. you must be more aggressive when doing these interviews for there are other people competing for the same job, and you must show the hiring people that you're better than all of them. It's quite vicious. But don't use that same attitude in acedemia, you'll loose valuable commrades that way.