You'll be surprised by how much it is personal relationships that are important, and not necessarily results, though obviously everything counts.

There's a huge business in consulting, and domain specific knowledge is something that can be hard to pick up unless you go in with an existing outfit.

I think the best advice I could give a new graduate is to do your best to join a big consulting company. You'll learn a bunch of things. The money can be pretty good, and the lifestyle can be fun if you are young enough.