This all depends on what area of IT you want to go into. I graduated in '06 and wanted to move north, I am a big outdoors guy but love the IT path. I took the best job available where I wanted to live and honestly have been pretty disappointed with the amount of technology I get to work with. My recommendation is to start your own thing. I have recently worked something out with my current job and will be able to focus more on my business, I am also currently earning a masters in software engineering because I did not feel my undergrad prepared me enough, and for my current situation a Masters will help me find work and stay where I want to live, ie telecommuting.
Running your own business means dealing with customers, but what I like is I am in charge of my schedule again. The IT industry depends a lot on where you live and what you’re capable of. Computer Science enrollment has dropped way low, I saw one report saying over 50% drop. Technology is always in demand no matter where you live, but if you live in a place like I do where there are only a handful of IT people but still quite a few businesses and individuals that require IT support, it is great! Drop in education and Technology continuing to grow has me in high demand where I live. On the other hand, if you want to create video games and live in Orlando, your SOL as there is a ton of people who do that there. I know when you talk about IT you are not talking about Game Developing but it’s a good example none the less. Your knowledge + Experience + Market = your Value. Where I live I am considered an IT Genius (not to toot my own horn) but if I lived in a place like NYC, Seattle, Dallas, or Orlando I would probably be average. How long do you have for the military to pay for a certification? I would wait as long as you can to find a particular field you enjoy the most or are the best at then choose to get more education in it. Remember, 87% of undergrad students do not end up in the field they studied for. I was a hospitality management undergrad with an emphasis in Business Systems. I love technology and I wound up, in under year, switching to an IT Field with a little web programming, nothing to do with my undergrad.
My advice, go explore the jobs and markets out there, find where you want to live, than find a job you enjoy there. Then go after more education. The view on the employee and work place is changing as the new generations are coming into the workplace. On average, a person with an undergrad degree will have 10 different jobs in 8 different career paths before he/she is 30, and this is no longer looked down on but looked at as now the person has cross over experience and is more likely to be happy with a job he has chosen. Choose where you want to live, find out what you like, choose a path, than educate yourself more. Technology is always a good career path because there are an infinite number of paths within it. Good luck and welcome home!
