I have to agree with the hours thing though.
Starting on an airliner with minimum hours used to be only for a select few. The good old boys who were sponsored in days gone by or whatever. Not any Tom Dick or Herbert who has the financial backing just to fulfill their 'dream'. I am a firm believer in that people should serve an apprenticeship in aviation. If you want to pay your way in thats fine, some people are never going to agree with it. Just have a look at it from the other side of the fence Horgy etal, before passing opinions on the merits of more experienced wannabees than yourselves. Many are from the camp which built up hours teaching PPL/CPL & IR and then went onto fly charter & TPs etc. You will find that the majority of the Captains you are going to share the flight deck with will also come from similair backgrounds, as do the guys that interview you. I have to say that I would have to think twice about letting my wife and kids get in a PA28 with a 200hour pilot. But its not the same as an airliner with a 200hr hotshot at the yoke you say? I know! and hopefully the skipper is switched on! Think about it. It may go some way to explain why people have opinions on low hour cadets handling an 80 ton aircraft with very limited aviation backgrounds. Limited or no real experience of real world conditions, out of the safe pat me on the back and try again training environment.
'I know who I would rather fly with', an opinion shared by nearly every other line Captain you meet when the subject pops into conversation. Newbees with zero hours and no commercial experience, bar a small minority are considered hard work on the flight deck. Fact!
With things the way they are in the job market now, having hours from a good aviation background are only going to help you. Either that or pay someone for a job and bypass all that valuable experience. Certainly dont waste time twiddling your thumbs waiting for those cvs to be read, be proactive and do the FI rating, fly a tug etc. You will always have more respect, if not more hours than the next man.