3D Festival is one of those sites that every game artist MUST bookmark in their browser. It's a great website full of resources, tutorials, and big name interviews..
Anyway, they've recently put up a set of interviews with experienced industry types from places such as Weta Digital, Blizzard Entertainment, and Newtek about what it takes to get a career in 3d art. Part one of the interview set is here, and part two is here. Go on and get edumacated!