Thank you, Jeff and Grant for your suggestions! I always figured that experience would be the key. I guess my next step is to update my resume to highlight my relevant experience - it's slight, but I certainly used databases in all of my marketing endeavors. Hopefully, I will stumble across hiring managers like you guys sooner than later. 🙂

As far as building up experience (while I pursue my associates/certs) is there any value to pursuing work on a site like eLance or oDesk? I don't mind working on the cheap (which it seems like you have to since you're bidding against kids with iPads in Indonesia) and I figure if I can pick off some of the smaller jobs, I could build up a nice little portfolio... Have you guys (or anyone else reading this) gone that route?

Thanks again - it's comforting to know that, though it will clearly take hard work, there is a light at the end of the tunnel...