from http://forum.yorkbbs.ca/showtopic-1679659.aspx
First Job: ways and means
Recently, I read about a guy submitted by multiple recruiters to the same place. I don't know how this could have happened. In my experience, recruiters always call you before submitting you. In any case, never allow more than one recruiter submitting you to the same project. A lot of companies simply refuse to deal with you when this happens because of potential trouble. It's your responsibility to find out and keep track where you're submitted.
Never trust whatever a recruiter tells you. They're a salesperson at heart and they'll say anything to make a sale.
Don't bicker over the pay of your first job. Grab whatever is offered to you. I would even take a minimum wage. It's the hardest to find the first job. After some local experience, you'll be in driver's seat and can ask whatever the market rate is. If your current employer refuses to pay up, you can always leave. You're in so much stronger position when you already have a job. When I got my first job many years ago, my pay was at least 20% below market. A mere 4 years later, my pay was probably 30% over market. In the same company.
To summarize: get to know as many people as possible; try different ways, even crazy ways; apply to all the jobs you deem appropriate; use recruiters, they're very important to first time job seekers, maybe even the most important.