personally i kind of worked my way in slowly - i used to work pre-press but wanted out - so i set up part-time freelance as pre-press operator - that covered food and rent (just about!)
and had the rest of the week to play yeeeee. i registered with all the employment agencies as a freelance graphic bod - which is a royal pain in the ass by the way.. took weeks! - but bared some fruit.
other than that it was friends of friends who know someone who was starting a business and wants a letterhead... that sort of thing.