Hoyty1's Journal: Masters Degree in IS: Paper airplane or Flyswatter?

Everyday while I wait for status bars to move towards the right side of the screen during a PC refresh project I browse internet job sites looking for something grander. However I rarely ever see my degree listed as a requirement for most jobs. They usually always say something about CS, CE, EE, or other degrees that to me seem more classic to the computer and IT field. I've been a long time Slashdot reader and the stories that really catch my fancy lately are ones about newbies (such as myself) entering the field.

I see the same advice regurgitated time after time. Different view points and opinions constantly clashing. It's certainly a poignant topic in today's economy "How do I get a job?" Obviously with the unspoken caveat of wanting a "good" job. But here is what I see:
- Lie to get the interview
- Go out and learn it yourself
- Do some free work in the community
- Attain some education milestones (degrees/certificates/etc) , it will help you in the long run.
- Be honest in the interview

I'm sure there are others but these just stand out in my mind especially after reading a post in regards to changing careers.

So here I am sitting in a pretty low end job, having tapped out my contract company for pay raises. With a graduate degree in IS wondering where the hell to go from here. My technical projects from school seem worthless to brag about, I'm cocky enough to think I have a good degree of business acumen and people skills, little to no high end job experience, and a resume of nothing but temporary and project work long enough to to cover a wall of my basement lair where I work now.

I'm slated to start up a PhD program soon, but is academia my only option? Where have other people with IS/IT/IST degrees turned to for entry level? Or are we just doomed to be tethered to a technical support desk hoping our manager keels over so we can take their job? (Or at least watch it get filled by someone with an MBA who will be better than they were.)