[chris_dcosta]

Corporate burn out is inevitable. Having done this for the last 14 years or so, I see it and experience it all the time.

I agree with most of the posts here so far, side projects only go so far to help you deal with it, but the future is pretty grim too. If you stick at this, and then get settled, there's actually very little to push you off the treadmill.

Corporate IT is mind-numbingly dull. You will never be a big fish, no matter what your title says you are, and you'll always have the feeling you missed the boat, because coprate IT is always years behind the curve. I speak from experience!

If I had my time again, I'd do everything I could to get into a tech start-up, or do one myself. You'll learn all you need along the way, and more. Stuff that corporate meetings and politically messy projects will never teach you.

If you have family that can support you, just go for it.

[msdet11]

Yeah. I can definitely agree with all the points being made. It just seems at least in the Midwest college age developers aren't pushed to do anything innovative. Just get a corporate job, and 401k and be a company man the rest of your life. I think I may start looking for a new gig then. Life seems too short to play it safe everyday.

[ecaroth]

Not sure where in the midwest you are, but I live in the Minneapolis MN area and there is a blossoming tech scene, and many new startups eager to hire ambitions developers that are willing to learn. I have heard similar things about Madison, and Chicago is a tech hub with many prominent startups.

[msdet11]

I'm around the Detroit area. I've hit up a couple startup meetups, and things of that nature. The few places I've talked to really don't have the wiggle room to hire at the moment which seems like a bummer.