eikido
'm counting for 1:20-1:50 ratio of getting a job. That is only 1 of 20-50 that will get a job. And that is during good times (~year 2004).
Sorry that's simply completely wrong.
Of all the guys who went commercial I kept in touch with from starting training to getting my first public-transport job (I was an instructor in the meantime for several years in the last downturn, so knew a lot) none is now out of work. The very few who were not flying when I last heard of them did not surprise me. They did not have the right personal qualities to be in this business, I could have predicted which would struggle to find work when I first met them.
When my company needed more pilots and wanted those with a personal recommendation I could only find two willing to apply and both were offered jobs here. One decided he didn't want to move, so kept instructing and is now I think doing some public transport flying in the area where he wanted to stay. The other was already flying commercially, and stayed in his job when the company picked up another contract so he was flying more. He has now moved to a bigger company.
We took on a few pilots who claimed they'd stay for a while, and found we could not keep them (even with a bond) as they were in such demand, until we managed to get some by personal recommendation who wanted to work for longer in our sector. They could have taken jobs elsewhere by now, but they like the company, the work and the area we're based in.
The situation has changed now. I would not recommend anyone to start full-time for at least a year. However the good times will come back, they always do! If you're thinking of progressing slowly alongside a full-time job, then this is not a bad time to start.