This post was actually authored by the slow-new-day-eh? department. Please attribute accordingly.

I think you're asking the wrong question here. When you're just getting out into the "real world," you need to focus on finding a position that's going to make you the happiest, not the one that looks the best on paper.

Look at the type of culture, the location, the history of the company, the people they hire, their strategy for success, even their reputation among their competitors. Are these the types of people you want to work with or for? Do you love working in the boonies, or is a downtown location more enjoyable? Does your excite you? Would you rather work for Porsche or Ford? Microsoft or Mozilla? Wal-Mart or Nordstroms?

When you're young you have the luxury of relatively little excess baggage. You probably don't have a mortgage, wife, children, or outrageous car payments (yet). You can move, change careers, and take risks that may not be as easy when you are committed.

This is arguably the last time you will ever be able to truly consider a variety of positions and select the one that best fits you. The next time you start looking, you'll have other concerns that will impact your decision.

If you like to tinker or play with fun new technology, then a boutique shop (smaller shops focused on one particular area/technology) or a commercial research lab might be a good choice. If you like to travel and wear expensive shoes, then you might look into consulting. If you just want to program, then try to find a company whose story you can really dig into. Don't rule anything out until you really know, because some of the best jobs are lying in unexpected places.

I've seen many people go 12-18 months in a job and absolutely hate it. Maybe you will too, but chances are there's a company looking for people just like you. A company that will meet all of your requirements and keep you happy too. That's where you want to work.

Your search might not be easy. You may have to relocate far away. You'll have to find the balance of incentives that suits you best (location, hours, benefits, compensation, etc). Digits on a paycheck can only cure a handful of ailments, none of them fatal.

Technicalities like tax (which is the driving factor behind W2 vs 1099) should only play a factor when trying to decide between two equally attractive positions or if you have extenuating circumstances (insurance, for example). If you let them guide you to a position, you'll likely end up somewhere you'd rather not be.