Basically it went like this: registered with recruiting agency - got a call a few days later asking if I would like a plane ticket - met up with the company next time I crossed the mountains anyway, told them I knew next to nothing about Java, was told that I looked smart and as long as I picked it up within the next 6 months they would be happy. So I started after my summer holiday and was fixing bugs within the first week.

At that place everone including our designer could code because they made sure to make it easy to get started. Since then I try to do the same.

Edit: this is also the only time recruiting agencies hasn't been a complete and utter waste of my time.