Hi TGA,
- Netjets only hires experienced pilots (min 1500 hours total flight time - minimum 500 hours multi-crew with multi-engine flight time). However, many smaller operators that only have one or a few other smaller aircraft will hire beginner pilots. Salaries and conditions will most likely be miles off what better companies like Netjets or FlexJet offer. I assume that many operators will charge you for your first type rating, because they don't want new hires to head out the door again as soon as they have completed their minimum hours to apply elsewhere.
- Yes, taxation and social security take a huge chunk off of your gross salary, certainly more than 50%. Other countries, e.g. Germany, still do not tax you on top of the 25% tax at source in Portugal, but you still have to pay social security, which is also quite a sum of money.
- APU = Auxiliary Power Unit - that small noisy engine in the tail section of aircraft that is used to generate electricity and bleed air while the engines are switched off, usually on the ground. Makes life much more comfortable when you heat/cool your cabin and do not have to sit in the dark at night while waiting on the ground. US secondments = for the last few winter seasons Netjets Europe aircraft ferried over to the US to the help "The Mothership" (Netjets US) during their ultra busy days and season, namely Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. It is quite interesting to operate those flights between the US, Central America and The Caribbean, it's something different than the dull European stuff.
My opinion for future pilots with your profile: start your flying career with an airline. Easyjet, Ryanair, Vueling, you name it. Earn your wings there, make your first steps there, stick to the SOPs and cockpit discipling, learn how to work long days and how to manage fatigue and stress. Maybe you will even like it! When you got your 2000 - 3000 hours TT, apply with Netjets or with a legacy airline of your preference. You could also do your first steps in some small bizjet outfit, but usually the conditions (pay, hours, vacation, general treatment, SOP-adherence etc.) are not great and chances are that you will come out of that with bad habits and in a bad mood.