ben,
The industry is in a downturn just now. Employment prospects for the next year or 2 look pretty grim. A TR with no experience isnt going to get you very far. Once the lay off's start this winter, theres going to be pilots already with TR's, and 100's of hours on type, flooding the job market. With the best will in the world, who's more employable? If you still want to self fund a rating, then how about trying ryanair? I believe they may still be taking cadets just now, although there are grumblings of that stopping by the end of the year.