I'm on my way towards a fATPL/ME/IR/MCC integrated (one of those lucky bastards who got into a sponsored programme)...
I've heard of people throughout the spectrum: A friend of mine who did the same course as me and made it with 250 hrs. With the aid of some very fortunate contacts he's now with a smaller carrier flying md80 around europe... In the other end I have an instructor who's been instructing in the same simulator of poor quality for the past 12 years. When he started he had a wife and a promising career ahead of him. During these 12 years he's had numerous chances but has never been able to cut it. This leads me to believe that it's not all about being in the right place at the right time, but you also need to be of the "right stuff".
I think you need to show in subtle ways that you are willing to sell your soul for the job, but in the process maintain a pleasant and easygoing personality. What I've seen with my instructors who have been on the scene for the past 5 or 6 years is that they've become bitter... They're still flying to get hrs but essentially they've given up hope. I reccon it's like any basic survival situation: never give up hope, think before doing or saying anything, make sure you see all possibilities and if you decide to go for it, do so with all your heart. Make sure you qualify for the job applied to and turn up in person to deliver your CV, even if requires you to travel a fair distance. These are my guidelines but having never tried them in practice I really don't know what I'm talking about, it's just a hunch...
good luck to you all!
/lns