i would say that operators won't look at you as a serious commercial pilot until you have at least (!) 1000-1500 hours depending on what type of flying you do. if you are slinging timber in canada at 500 hours since, i would be dead serious, but that's my personal opinion.
btw, a ph.d. is difficult, the atp is just a lot to study... just remembering the characteristics between certain chart projections was a nightmare (stereographic, mercator, lambert, etc.)
plus, why do heli-pilots have to do a flightplan for a small turboprop from stockholm/sweden to reykjavik/iceland? if i could make it to norway on one tank, i would be satisfied.