Patience.
Hi flyvirgin
There has been some wise words said on this thread.
Expect a few more knock backs along the way, and just when you think nothing will happen, one will come. They are like London buses, nothing for ages then 3 at once.
DO NOT pay for a type rating unless you have got a written signed job offer.
My advice would be to get an instructor rating. ( it's what I did)
In the current climate there are not too many instructor jobs about, but you will find something. This will help get you experience and contacts. It will also teach you to be a better pilot, and looks good on your CV. It should keep you in the hours requirements that some companies want.
Instructor pay is not the best, and it can be difficult to even live off, let alone pay back any loans you may have.
So to supplement your income try and get a job at an airline, handling agent etc. It will give you a foot through the door. My airline has just took on as cadet pilots several people from ops/crewing etc.
The offers will come eventually, my first job offer was on a 737 and one requirement was to have more than 1000 hours. You need to have an instructing (or something similar) job to get those sort of hours.
Even when your in the airlines your knock backs will still come.
My first airline went bump the week before Christmas.
Making contacts will help, I knew no one in aviation when I started. Now I know people all over the world in many many airlines.