It seems like everyone and their nephew develop web pages these days, and that means on the web in terms of business, there are a lot of these web developers advertising their services as if they were like a regular company with employees and ... more than one person.
I think this is just one of the crystals of deception that produce the whole lattice-work of lure into the Web Development industry for a great majority of the populace. In specific, to the untrained eye, it appears that there are a lot of companies to work for and a lot of opportunities to work, for both the HTML coder and the Graphic Designer. The problem is that for the most part, being a Web Developer of any sort requires a different employment mindset than standard jobs our Parents' generation had.
As a newbie Web Developer or Graphic Designer fresh out of school, you're a lucky lucky duck to be picked up by a firm that is willing to give you full time hours right away, and treat you like an employee. Your best chance is with a large firm, not a small one, but the large-vs-small argument is something you'd have to decide on your own.
Most people advertise their services as above because they've come to realize that most of their jobs are likely going to come in small chunks, as they run into people in their lives who need work to be done. That's not to say they don't continue looking for that full time position with a larger firm, but sometimes it takes time.
This is called being an "Independent Contractor" (IC). You may have someone who helps you find your work, but you work for many different clients and bill them all seperately. You're responsible for making sure you're in compliance with tax regulations, etc, and you pay your income tax at the end of the year depending on your year's income. You generally don't collaborate with too many people early on, simply because you don't have the skill nor the contacts.
During this time, I would suggest taking a Technical Support job for 6+ months, or something else that's heavily Customer Service-oriented and related to the Internet Industry. Not only will you be able to pay your bills, but you will gain knowledge about the Internet in many many ways, and that can only help you in your understanding of your future Web Development employer's position and direction in the market. Don't you WANT to be able to recognize a technically-competent firm from one that is dazzling you with verbal magic?
I think about the number of entry-level applications that come through to MY firm in a month, and I know that big firms must be completely inundated as well. Then I think about those commercials that say how much Web professionals are in demand... and then I remember, they're right! But, the problem is, they don't tell you that the ones in demand are the ones that have 2+ years of commercial development experience!
So, with that depressing thought in mind, new graduates, venture on to my next post on how to stand out the very most from the others around you, in terms of presenting an interesting image to a potential employer. | 
