The self improver route still exists just in a slightly different form. I don't know anyone from a modular flight training background who has got an airline job without first doing aerial work of some description or instructing, and then first stepping up to small turbine operations. A jet job straight from training usually remains the domain of the upper echelon of society who've come straight from OATS with money to burn on a self-funded TR... and even for those guys it's a hard slog.
Sorry to break it to anyone not yet aware of the status quo here but there ain't and never has been an easy way into airline flying, if that's your goal. Smell the roses on the way is all I can say on the matter, hey, I only almost got killed twice today whilst instructing (and why is it nearly always the ones with a licence that scare you the most?!)! All together now - SNIFF!
VFE.