I am looking at this debate with interest. Yes the advice from seasoned pilots would probably be the best, but then advice from peers possibly trying to do the same thing may also carry some weight.
Time scale also comes into it....what held true 10 years ago may no longer be the case. I saw somebody post up that one should go and offer their services to a local flying school or similar. That may have worked some time ago, but try that now. I have trying to get my daughter a weeks worth of "work experience" at flying inststitutions as opposed to the local dentist. She already has time in the Grob and gliding through ATC but the replies are all the same " No can do due to safety and insurance" considerations. I am really beginning to think the litigatious society that we are developing sucks. I used to spend my holidays working at a local service station dispensing petrol, cleaning battery terminals, greasing bearings, 12 hours a day for a piyttance and there was no hassles of health and safety, parents signing indemnity. I think a lot of kids are being denied these days.