I find myself in the same situation but a little further behind the curve. My programming experience started a few years ago with self-taught VBA, and I recently did some work for a local company (former UJUG leader) who introduced me to Java and PostgreSQL where I was able to write code and get a taste for OO programming. They told me to come here to start on a path towards bigger and better things. I have a non-IT degree.

I haven't used many other languages, but I really do enjoy programming and have a good aptitude and intuition for it. If companies hesitate to take on beginner Java programmers, what language will they take for beginners? .NET? Should I teach my self that for awhile and then try to get hired on as a beginner. Suggestions? Am I basically in the same boat as dmccrary?

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

I feel like I'm in the same boat;
I'm almost two-thirds of the way through my bachelors and have gotten some good experience in school, but no one seems to want someone without applied on-the-job experience;
even the job I recently applied for that advertised as an entry level programming job ended up requiring two years of on-the-job experience (I won't mention the company because the interview was an overal positive experience and I'd rather build bridges than burn them).

My thing is I learn best by doing and by repetition (probably comes from being a musician); I learn the fastest during the actual application of what I'm learning, but I have little time between working full time and going to school full time at night to do any more program development than what is assigned in class.
I'd love the opportunity to develop full time, and it would be great to find an employer who wouldn't mind letting me come aboard to do some lower level development as a means of learning and moving forward. I'd even accept a position like that at my current pay rate just for the opportunity to gain some real life experience.

Another possibility is to find a company that hires interns, and get some experience that way. Often this is a great way to get your foot in the door, and can often lead to a full-time entry level position.

This is an interesting dilemma…I’ve spoken with quite a few developers in the same situation. It seems that companies are working on more complex applications and only looking for experienced Developers lately. They aren’t quite as willing to train someone because of the learning curve and the time involved. On the other hand, there is a shortage of Java developers in Utah. You would think that companies that can’t find Sr. developers would want to train up Jr. Developers but this doesn’t seem to be the case.
I agree with Allen that an internship is probably the best way to get your foot in the door. Companies with internship programs are more willing to be flexible on training. It also seems that a lot of entry level developers start at smaller companies that are working on less complex applications. So that may be an area of focus.
Certifications and side projects will increase your chances as well. I would make sure you have a good understanding of OO fundamentals.