Thanks very much for your comments, S

Good point. In my experience, larger companies tend to have their own specific internal processes and home-grown tools and technologies. They would prefer to train people from the ground up, and this is easier and cheaper with junior people.

While this explains why big companies are more capable of taking on junior people, I think more explanation is needed as to why big companies would *want* them.

By far the best place to be for entry-level work is in larger companies. This may seem counter-intuitive — why should big companies want junior people? The reason is that large companies have the necessary infrastructure to train and mentor employees. Small companies tend to be sink-or-swim, with no time or budget for training.

Every STC event is a great opportunity to network. But there is also the EAC, PWAC, and AMWA. Many people who attend STC events are also members of these organizations. Periodically, all these organization hold giant schmoozefests in Montreal. Watch the site for announcements.

As for information architecture… Most companies have no idea what that is. The few who do know about IA actively look for those with the requisite experience. The best way to break into the field may be from within an existing job, where you might have enough freedom to explore the IA world as an adjunct to your regular duties.