Today was my first day as a practicing attorney. A small firm hired me to fill in while one of the associates takes maternity leave. That will last a few months, and then they'll decide if the workload (and my performance) justifies taking me on permanently.
I've been chasing every job in sight for eight months, but I got this one because one of my law school classmates heard about it through the grapevine and gave my name to the hiring attorney. Do not underestimate the value of having a good reputation among your peers.