It strikes me there are 3 routes to get a job in this rancid industry:
in order of preference.
1. Have a training captain as a father. I have seen many un-deserving incompetent jokers get jobs this way.
2. Buy your way to a job, either buy a) paying a huge premium to go to an integrated school who for some reason the Airlines like to recruit from direct, overlooking countless numbers of worthy modular students.
or b) paying 20 odd k for a type rating and hoping for the best.
3. Working your way up from the bottom, through instructing to air taxi to charter work to turbo prop to jets.
Why are you flying?
Because you love being in the air and all it entails, the freedom, the fun, the absolute love?
Or because you want to sit in a bar with gold bars on your shoulders and tell all the girls you're an Airline Pilot?