There’s no question about it: finding somebody to pay you is hard. In some cases, it’s even hard to find somebody to not pay you but instead give you something that’s supposed to be equivalent: college credit, for instance, or a big-ticket line on your resume.

Yeah, I’m talking about the Real World.

I’m far from a career counselor, but I have picked up a lot of helpful tips along the way. Since it’s sometimes hard to know where to start when looking for a job or internship, let me offer a few things that I know to be helpful:

• Work those connections. Connections, connections, connections. Have I made my point clear yet? CONNECTIONS! If you know somebody whose friend knows somebody whose brother knows somebody… well, what are you waiting for?! There’s only two degrees of separation between you and that person, and nobody else is going to do the legwork for you. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that a ton of industries are based on connections, and at some places it can be impossible to get your foot in the door unless you physically plant it there. Talk to people, ask questions, and be proactive. Networking is far more important than you think.

• Be professional. This seems like a no-brainer, right? I mean, everyone knows you don’t show up for a job interview in faded jeans and a crop top. But being professional goes far beyond the obvious—you’ll be a cut above the rest if you show up a few minutes early, take notes, seek out information by yourself, and send thank-you’s. Being professional also means being prepared—anticipate questions before they’re asked and think about your answers, follow up promptly, and bring examples or evidence of things that show you’re cut out for the opportunity.

• Don’t rule anything out. If your dream job is to be a fashion designer but instead you have a chance to be a retail clerk at Old Navy, just pause before you scream, “NO!” You gotta start somewhere, and often it’s not exactly where you dreamed it might be. If you can at least land a job or internship in your preferred industry, it will give you an opportunity to meet others who like the same things you like, and some of those people might know other people, and suddenly your odds of getting out of Old Navy after a year or so and landing an internship in a Marc Jacobs boutique are skyrocketing. Keep an open mind, and you’ll go far.

Those are three nuggets of wisdom that have worked especially well for me, but I know there are tons of others. CC girls, what’s worked well for you? Got any special tips you want to share with the group?