I will preface this comment with the fact that I did not go to culinary school. This is not to say that I chose not to, but I simply worked jobs and built up knowledge and experience a different way.
Anyway, I have noticed a few things about many (not all) fresh culinary students. I have often heard chefs note these things as well.
1. Arrogance, bear with me. Culinary students feel like a million bucks and know a lot of information and surely have learned from great teachers. However, to be successful, it is vital to remember that you don't know everything. Accept that there is always something new to learn and always something you can do better.
2. Unwillingness to do dirty work. If you want to truly be valuable to your chef or owner, you must be willingly ready to do all the stuff nobody wants to do. Nobody wants to empty the grease out of the deep fryers or clean the ovens, but an open willingness to do these things and do them well will set you apart from the pack, easily. Also, a willingness to do these things regularly will set your kitchen apart from others. I often hear, "This is the cleanest kitchen I've ever seen," and that will make any chef proud.
3. Lack of business sense. Understanding the business side of a restaurant is vital to daily production as well as menu development. Just because you're really into asian cuisine right now doesn't mean you should bring your chef a pad thai recipe when you work at a french-style cafe. Remember. You are no longer paying for your time in the kitchen, you are being paid. Your job is to make money for the restaurant. At work is not the time to practice new techniques and experiment with personal recipes, the time for that is at home or after you punch out if you have that option.
Ultimately, my advice is that Red Lobster is probably not the best place to grow as a chef. HOWEVER!!! It is important that you stick with that job for at least a year (provided you aren't going insane from it). Prove that you can do the dirty work and bring good ideas to the table. Show that you are reliable and valuable. THEN, once you have earned respect, you can pursue another job and be confident that you have a good reputation.
As far as finding a good restaurant to work in, just write down all the small restaurants in your area and start calling them. Just ask if they are looking for any kitchen staff. If you follow those basic principles, you will have no problem working your way up the chain, even if you start as a prep cook or even dishwasher.
Okay, hopefully I didn't ramble too long!