I just took a cultural geography class at the University... The prof was a GIS guy for a local utility company. He showed us this GIS system that was pretty cool.
That said, GIS is a pretty specialized field. Jobs are sometimes hard to get.
I wouldn't say GIS is specialized at all nor are jobs hard to come by. The fed and defense companies use GIS in ways you can't imagine. However, GIS is a field that is best in conjunction with experience in another specialty.
For example - here is a job description with 10 open reqs... 10 JOBS with the major requirements being you have some leadership skill, can work independently, are a US citizen, and can pass a polygraph.
JOB SUMMARY:
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the World Leader in Geospatial Intelligence.
Imagine being able to identify anything on, above, or beneath the Earth's surface and display that information visually to provide a meaningful foundation for decision-making to ensure the safety of the world. That's the job of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
We analyze imagery and data from many sources and incorporate it into visual displays of essential information for use in national defense, homeland security, and safety of navigation.
Central to the success of our mission are the extraordinary talents and skills of our teams of analysts and other professionals. We need the best minds to provide the information edge, continuing NGA's role as the premier provider of Geospatial Intelligence worldwide.