Graduating in May? Congrats!

Reality check: Are you in a serious job search yet? It's past time to compete with your classmates for jobs.

So here's what to do to improve your paycheck odds.

Clean up your digital dirt. Get the drinking pics and dubious comments off Facebook.

Create a Gmail account for your job search.

Visit your campus career office for leads, and don't be afraid to talk to your parents' friends and other professionals.

Be open to internships and temporary or contract positions.

Get help on your résumé. Look at career advice books. Use a career center. Find a human resource professional to review your résumé. Warning: Opinions will differ as to content and format. Just do your best to present yourself.

Make sure your written communications are free of typos and grammatical errors.

No textspeak. No emoticons.

Record a professional-sounding message on your cell phone. No music. No gimmicks. Just your name and a promise to call back as soon as possible.

Call back as soon as possible. If a potential employer calls you, run to the nearest quiet place and return the call immediately.

Narrow your applications to jobs for which you're truly qualified and interested. You'll just feel bad if you spray the landscape and don't hear back.

Attend career fairs even if your target companies aren't there. It's a good way to practice your 30-second pitch, your expression of interest in the job with a reason why they should hire you.

Diane Stafford is the workplace and careers columnist at The Kansas City Star. She can be reached at stafford@kcstar.com.