time to get first FI job?

[VFE]

I would go into the thing with the latter figure in your head and then anything above is a bonus.

Average across the UK is about £15/hr and between £5-£15 retainer/day.
The winter does not necessarily mean less work - January is probably one of the busiest periods. During summer hols people tend to be swanning off to the Costa del Sunblock so do not wish to be spending their hard-earned on flying lessons although trial flights remain pretty constant.

My advice would be to moot out potential job interest at the FTO's where you enquire about the FIC. You have means to make an arrangement, your progress on their FIC permitting, as some places won't want FI's who did their FIC elsewhere.

Also, gen up on the whole GA scene if you came through the intergrated route - know about your piston engines, VFR regs, CAA regs re:licencing issues and ya average flying club ethos as that is all going to count towards you.

Lastly, be humble as nobody likes someone who appears to know everything - remember most bosses like to mould you! Personality is a big factor in securing work in aviation, even more so in instructing as people skills are often just as vital as piloting skills so if you approach your potential job with that in mind and you won't go too far wrong in my experience.

VFE.