"In Europe nearly every airline hires FOs with 250 hours"
Most definetely not true. Some airlines in Europe hire a few low hour pilots is closer to the mark. Many airlines have a minimum experience level and some hire a mix of low houred and experienced guys. For the same qualifications airlines will hire the pilot with more hours.
I know because I still remember looking for a job with 200 hours and let me tell you, it wasn't easy.
It is the nature of the beast that with 200 hours you think you know it all, with 1000 you realize that you didn't but now you do, with 4000 you... and so on.
Airlines and most companies will hire proven candidates if they can over unproven ones.