JOINING first choice? That's a new one on me... right now people are leaving in their droves. Sadly the suits in charge have decided that pilots are an expensive inconvenience and are acting to sort out that little problem by abolishing increments, threatening pensions, and refusing to grant even a modest (RPI) payrise, despite the top suit walking off with about 500 gazillion as a bonus (again). Meanwhile the terms and conditions are being constantly eroded and the union seem powerless to intervene, so I'm afraid all is not too rosey. Add to that the stated intention that the airline will contract, rather than expand, over the foreseeable future and you have a situation where, if you do join, you'll sit in the right hand seat for at least 176 years before you get a command course.
I'm not scaremongering, I'm leaving FCA after 5 years, 3 of which I've spent on the rather ridiculously named "command short list" that currently runs to about 100 names. Literally. There will be 3 promotions this year, that's a fact. You do the math! PS the average serving captain is about 42 years old so they ain't shifting too fast!
PM me if you want any more, but it's not a move I'd recommend, even to my mother-in-law. Regards, H2B