Tiram
Unlucky with the application, keep plugging away. I would just like to comment on some of your points;
it looks as if anybody who is starting now and finishing within the next 2 years stands a better than average chance of getting at least a multi job with low hours, ie less than 500.
I would say that is a bit of wishful thinking. The 'average' chance of a low houred pilot (with less than 500hrs)to get a multi job is extremely low now and will be not much better in two years time considering the JAR requirement for single pilot ops to have a minimum of 700hrs. Not many other jobs flying light multi-engine aircraft that require two crew. Don't see them increasing much either.
Well i'm kind of hoping this is the case, and if anybody did manage to luck out and get that all so rare minimum hour jet job then you'd actually be in a better position than a sponsered pilot with salaries and the like.
I think you need to look at the bigger picture. If a sponsored cadet joined the airline after completing their integrated course, say as a S/O and took three years to unfreeze their ATPL to become an F/O, that would be roughly 5 years. If a self sponsored integrated pilot joined the same airline after completion of his training with 200hrs, he too would join as a S/O on the same salary and spend roughly the same length of time making his way to F/O. (This is all hypothetical of course.) The thing to remember is that the sponsored student starts with the airline some £'large'k better off due to the airline having paid for his training. Again, this is in an ideal world and not true of all sponsorships. Even if you join a scheme where you are on a reduced salary you are in reality still probably no worse off (disposable income after pay day) as the self funded candidate is probably paying back his loans anyway. (Again, assuming similar age, ie no previous career with funds to have completed training.)
Also with the hopeful upturn in jobs opens up the opportuntity of mutli/coperate/cargo work where you get more of a chance to actually fly the plane, which would probably be more satisfying than the big jets
It's horses for courses, but if you enjoy hand flying aircraft you will soon get bored of hand flying everywhere. An autopilot is a godsend as sitting in the cruise, hand flying is just tedious. When you get on a big jet and the conditions are right, brief the other guy and switch the automatics off. The only bit worth doing is the T/O and landing and I have flown 'big jets' for four companies, none of which have said I can't hand fly the aircraft if I want to. It's my (airmanship) choice as PF. I would be surprised if corporate jet guys got more chance to hand fly. Yes, old cargo outfits may as an autpopilot might not even be fitted, but like I said, that novelty would soon wear off and you would have an autopilot at the top of your Christmas List!
I find it satisfying to hand fly up to the cruise on some days and even more so from TOD. That's all the hand flying I want thanks!
Anyhow, good luck to those still in the melting pot and to those who now have to consider other options.
PP