My 2 cents:
Work at the airport anyway you can, where you can be exposed to the everyday operations of aviation...even if its part time.
Get all of your ratings through commercial (ATP later)
If you can afford your instructor ratings, get them and keep them current.
Pay attention to your appearence, first impressions go a long way
Be proffesional, polite, and responsive...even in your sleep.
Talk to everyone, its who you know in this business, even people who do not fly may know someone who does. (but be careful who you are associated with....there are some bad seeds out there)
Fly anything and everything you can (keeping safety in mind of course)
Stay up on current events..this sounds stupid, but trust me...its a whole lot easier to spark up conversations with folks when you have something other to say than....."whasup, man"
flying has its ups and downs...learn and retain from both.
Not that this helps, but I got my first job while I was pumping fuel. The pilot of a citation 501 lost his FO to another job. He was using contract guys to fill in. One day while I was finishing up his fuel order, I noticed he was acting a little agitated. He told me his right seater had not shown up yet, nor has he called. I told him to give me a call if it got tight and I would fly with him. He laughed and said, thanks...but he needed someone who was a pilot. (he wasnt being an ass..it just sounds that way) Anyhow, I told him I was, had my ratings, could take off work, and I had a change of clothes in my car (I always kept a crisp change of clothes in my car)...he just raised his eyebrows and said hed let me know.....Well, he didnt call me for that flight..but about a week or so later he came to the FBO and asked if Id go on a maint. flight with him....he wanted to evaluate me, do some touch and go's..etc. Anyhow...he used me after that, back then it was a $100 bones a day. He introduced me to some other folks around the airport and I picked up a bunch of other side flights. Eventually I got a retainer from this dude, which lead to full time employment.....In reality the job sucked, the whole process took 4 years..but 2000 hours later (1200 of it jet) I got the job I have now....which is nice, and been here ever since.
the moral of the story is.....every pilot has one, but the only story that counts is, and will be yours.....So finish your "chapter one" and get going, dont give up and remember that there is ALWAYS a way.
good luck