As this is drifting anyway, can I ask a slightly modified question? I had coffee recently with a chap I trained with a few years ago, and he told me that he is now so cynical due to similar experience to the thread starter, that even though he now works as a pilot, it is now only all about the money. He is looking for a new job now based mainly on how much someone is prepared to pay. Frankly I don't blame him, he has huge debts to repay when considering the total cost of training and being out of a career for many years. In this respect he is like many others.
Clearly there are plenty here who admit to having an easier transition into the world of flying work, and would probably answer "no".
To get to the point, hands up who think "yes"? I think I do.