Also, I'd highly recommend getting your MECIR.
That's a qualification you can immediately use. If you're working for a company that has a few piston singles, well and good - but if they have twins, you'll be out of the running for promotion onto the twins unless you've already got a multi rating. Taking time off to go and get one of those is likely to mean taking time off when you really could be flying a twin.
The ATPL is a qualification you won't be able to use for a while anyway - so take it easy on them, and if you want to do the course, do it next time you're 'between jobs'.