> I'm in Kalamazoo, Michigan, but I'm willing to relocate.
>

Why move? Telecommute. That's what I'm doing. Hardware design and
prototyping, and writing software from a bedroom in Muncie.

Software is just bits..

In the beginning, look for short contract jobs, or support roles, where
the company dosen't have to totally rely on you to produce. As they gain
confidence in you, and you accumulate "successes", then advance to whole
projects.  I did an AVR project last summer (first time I had seen an
AVR, and they were vapourware when I started) that netted me $12k in 6
weeks. From my bedroom, with a $50 development system. They hired me
because they had seen a project I had done that was similar to what they
wanted.