How do you apply to jobs directly?

Write a letter to the HR dept 'on spec'.

Do some research into the company - what it does, how it operates. Basically. check it out to check there is a position that you could realistically fill. (eg: applying to NASA to be the next guy on the moon is not a great idea - I tried that last week - no joy :p)

Determine if there is a need - use your network of contacts for that. Listen out for phrases like:

"Company X down the road might be expanding soon..."

"It looks like there is growing need for Company Y's products in 6 months time" etc...

You are looking for an entry-level job - but remember to assess your own abilities and skills methodically. If you do this right, the HR dept manager or the manager that you write to is going to be looking at your information. If you do it wrong - it gets filed away, never to be seen again.

When you write - be careful to include the specific name of the company you are applying to - a tailored covering letter AND a specifically direct résumé. Address the person formally but directly.

Show in your covering letter that you have done some research into the activities of the company, that you have identified a need and show them where you feel you could help them by filling that need. Tell them of your education and interests - relevant to the job you have identified.

Remember not to overlook smaller companies. They may be too small to have an HR dept - and paying hundreds for a third-party HR resource to find them the right person might not be the answer. In those cases - identify the business owner/managers and write to them. This may be a small company - but they can be your first stepping stone in a career path.

Remember always that there is competition - spell check everything before you send it AND make sure you spell the boss's name properly.

Go to your local state employment office or career center and look at the listings there. Read the classified ads in your local newspaper. A lot of companies still recruit that way. Look at the web sites for the largest employers in your town and see if there are any openings posted there. Go in person to retail stores in your town and ask if they are hiring.

Think of some places you'd like to work and go to them and ask if they're hiring. Bring resumes with you to give them. Even if they say they're not hiring at the moment give them your resume anyways and ask them if they can keep it in their files because an employee might quit the next day and they'll need to hire a replacement.