PAYDIRT!

I have accepted 1 of the 2 offers I received from managed services companies in the Boston area. It was hard telling the other company that I was turning them down because they were very persistent, professional, and personable. I would not hesitate recommending them to prospective systems administrators.
Anyway, the company I chose offered me a senior position on their support team, with the understanding that I would earn the position of team leader. Notice I say EARN. I have a lot of learning to do and will be going non-stop to get up to speed.

Now that I am officially off the job market, let me share some ideas and tips on how I job-searched and got many interviews before landing this one:
1) Post your resume and update it often
2) Make contacts through LinkedIn. That's how I found this job.
3) Job search 3 times a week, using different search words on several job boards
4) Don't take a job JUST for the paycheck. You'll be back on the market soon enough
5) Don't be afraid to ask for what you feel you're worth....but be reasonable
6) Prep yourself for all interviews and have examples ready for standard questions
7) At the end, ask "Do you have any reservations about bringing me on board?" If they have, you can clear it up before you leave and lose your opportunity.
8) Send thank you notes 1-3 days later

I wish all of you the best of luck. And I'll still be posting, so chat soon