Get a job...after college.

IMAGINE THAT GRADUATION DAY HAS COME and gone. Your college buddy has been accepted to law school and your best friend is traveling around the world. You, on the other hand, are spending the summer doing laundry for your on-again, off-again roommates--your parents.

You dread the daily chorus, "So, when are you going to get a job?" as they demand proof of your job search progress. And even though you've spent the last few weeks sending out resumes, your favorite Fortune 500 company still hasn't offered you a job.

If you haven't already begun the process of looking for a job, you could end up in this very scenario. "A number of students expect to graduate and immediately be offered a secure, high-paying job with a well-known employer," says Janet Jones, manager of internship services at Rutgers University Career Services in New Brunswick, New Jersey. "They sit and wait, thinking a job is going to come to them," she says.

However, only a few actually receive immediate offers. Perhaps this reality check inspires 20% of nearly 1.2 million graduates of four-year colleges and universities to head straight to graduate and professional schools each year. Still, many students choose not to delay this inevitable adulthood rite-of-passage, and begin their search long before the pomp and circumstance.

Tangala Ash was an early bird. "I wanted to get job hunting out of the way because I didn't want to be stressed later," says Ash, a 1997 graduate of Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. "I got started In the beginning of my senior year. I took advantage of every service and opportunity provided on campus, from the career center to on-campus job fairs."

Three months before graduation, she landed a job as an analyst with Andersen Consulting in Denver.

Getting a job after college doesn't have to be torture. In fact, it can be virtually painless if you prepare early and exercise time management diligently. By combining that with the following tips, you can increase your chances of finding work soon.

Tip #1: Focus on your studies and career. Most of your college activities should support your postgraduate plans. You should major in your career field, but you can minor in an unrelated area. Get involved with campus organizations connected with your career choice.

"Major-specific clubs are an excellent way to network with people who could be your future colleagues," says Ash, a Zeta Phi Beta soror and member of Phi Beta Lambda, an honors business organization.

She advises students to strike a balance between academics and extracurricular activities. "Don't become so involved with campus activities that your grades suffer," says Ash, who maintained a 3.2 G.P.A. in her information systems major.

Tip #2: Do your homework. Jones recommends that college students begin researching careers of interest in their freshman year. However, if you haven't been to your campus career center yet, don't worry--it's not too late to get started.

Familiarize yourself with the available resources. Inquire about various career-related workshops and find out when recruiting companies will be on campus. Open a file for resumes and letters of recommendation and submit a resume that can be used for online databases. Check out job and internship postings as well as information on career days.

It's also important to get career guidance. Get to know the staff personally and keep them abreast of your interests and goals. "Make it a point to be on a first-name basis with all the advisors," says Jones, whose staff has recommended graduating students to potential employers.

Naeemah Nuriddin, a marketing representative for Campus Dimensions and College Credit Card Corp. in Philadelphia, regularly visited her campus job center to research career options beginning in her sophomore year. After talking to counselors, she ditched her accounting major and chose a future in marketing. "They worked with me to find a flexible career option that could accommodate my interests," says Nuriddin, who graduated from Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1996.

When she was ready to start looking for a job, she went back to the center to do some company research. "In addition to finding interesting facts about businesses, I could decide which companies to apply to," says the 25-year-old Camden, New Jersey, native.

Tip #3: Get an internship. Even if you have a technical major such as engineering or science, hands-on training from an outside source is essential. "Even with a great G.P.A., no job is going to fall in your lap," says Carlos Austin, a 25-year-old community affairs coordinator at WPIX-TV in New York City. "The people who can apply what they have learned to real, everyday situations are the ones who get hired," he says.

Internships provide the skills and experience you need to get the job you want. As a 16-year-old high school senior, Austin applied for an assignment desk internship in the news department at WPIX. Working with professionals twice his age, he quickly learned the basics of the industry. He developed mentor relationships with several of his co-workers and was eventually given responsibilities usually reserved for college interns.

Just before high school graduation, Austin accepted an invitation to participate in a work-study program sponsored by The Foundation for Minority Interests in Media in New York City (see "It's Show Time," in the December 1997 issue). He continued interning at the television station during his college years.

Five months after he received his journalism degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, WPIX hired Austin as a production assistant. "My internship experience gave me a definite edge over my competition," says Austin, a 1994 graduate.

Internships should be served early in college, but many can be served afterward. Visit your career center for available internship and/or volunteer opportunities. Internships vary in length and compensation. Many are unpaid and for college credit only. Externships--internships of two weeks or less--are also a viable option.

Tip #4: Knock 'em dead with a killer resume. The success of your job hunt will hinge largely on your resume. Why? Because that one piece of paper will help determine whether you will be granted an interview.

To a potential employer, a resume is a one-page sales pitch and you are the product. Neil C. Kalt, Ph.D., author of Career Power! A Blueprint for Getting the Job You Want (Career Power Books, $12.95), says employers take one minute to determine if your resume gets a second look or goes through the shredder. Therefore, it must be perfect--in both substance and appearance.

A winning resume must be typed in a plain font and printed on good-quality paper. Chances are, yours will be one of several hundred to be screened on any given day. Try either ivory or light gray paper to make it stand out from all the white ones.

Tailor your resume to the job you're applying for and omit unnecessary information such as salary requirements and hobbies. "Be sure to include a specific objective that states the job you are applying for," says Angela Johnson, managing director of the INROADS minority internship program in San Diego, California.

Use action words to describe your previous responsibilities, and avoid using the word "I." In addition to your campus and e-mail addresses, be sure to include a forwarding address and phone number.

Read and re-read your resume for spelling and grammar mistakes. After changes, have someone else look it over--a fresh pair of eyes will pick up what you unconsciously overlook.

Finally, write a personalized, one-page cover letter for each resume you send. Take advantage of the fact that it is read first, by making it attention grabbing and to the point. Show that you've done your research, and mention a few facts or observations about the company.

Make sure your cover letter includes why you are contacting the company, why you qualify for the job and how you can be reached for an interview. Highlight two important accomplishments that can help to really make you stand out.

"Address your cover letter to an actual contact person, not just the `human resources director,'" says Nuriddin, who mailed an average of one resume per day. Commit yourself to sending out a fixed number of resumes every week.

Tip #5: Prepare for the interview. A resume and cover letter may get you the interview, but "how potential employers see you will determine when and if you get the job. Perception is everything," says Austin.

Developing a professional image is a constant work-in-progress, so begin crafting it now. If you haven't already, invest in a tailored, well-made dark suit, a pair of simple leather pumps (ladies) or oxfords (men) and an attache.

Figure out now how you will wear your hair, which should be neatly groomed. "It is better to dress conservatively for an interview, even if the company has a casual dress code," advises Johnson.

Jason R. Rich, author of First Job, Great Job (Macmillan Spectrum, $15.95), suggests practice interviews with friends or family. Have them ask you questions you think the real interviewer will ask. Rehearse basic answers and time yourself to make sure you don't ramble or give one-word responses.

Learn to maintain eye contact, and perfect your handshake and smile. Start thinking about questions to ask the interviewer--they will help you look interested and enthusiastic about the position.

And in the midst of your job search, don't forget about yourself. Says Nuriddin: "Keep your priorities in order and encourage yourself along the way."