I have just sailed past the 500hr mark on the 738 with FR. It's my first commercial job and overall I am happy. I knew what I was getting myself into before I joined and to be honest there is very little that I could regard as being a complete and utter surprise to me.
I have had 3 bases (2 during line training) and my present. It's not where I want to be ultimately, however it isn't the worst as I am able to stay with relatives/friends during my 5 days on. My life would be a lot more simple if I had my base of choice however I know guys who are a lot worse off (in terms of how they have to commute to work, cost of living away from home etc). I was in line for a base transfer in February, however it never materialised (for reasons unknown to me). When you seek a reason, no one can give you one or the person you need to talk to is unavailable. Important lesson is not to let it get to you. You will see people in the base that you want who themselves do not want to be there. You will see new cadets being moved into your base of choice when you had been told a month or two earlier that the base was overcrewed and would be for the next 6 to 8 months. However these stories aren't anything new and like I say, I was aware of them before I joined.
The money is decent, however if joining as an FO be aware that as you become more expensive (see Brookfield rates of pay) you are likely to be used less. I am late twenties, married with a kid, two properties (one let out), a car, credit cards etc etc. I have, by industry standards, a small loan to repay as a result of my training. I am still managing to keep my head above the water and I am able to enjoy some of the finer things in life, however it takes careful management and planning of your finances. I would also point out that if you are based in Ireland things are becoming slightly different to how you declare your income. This applies to Brookfield guys and gals and indeed the whole concept of being 'self employed' with regards to the Revenue Commission. Ultimately you could find yourself worse off.
Flying wise, I couldn't be happier. I feel myself developing every day. The guys I fly with sitting in the left range from highly experienced skippers to recent command upgrades. I have never regarded any as being incapable or unprofessional. Enthusiasm and a willingness to learn will see you develop at a steady pace. There is a wealth of knowledge available in Ryanair - if you want to tap into it! The training is of a high standard and the SOPs are there to protect you. Career progression is also good. Within 4 or so years you could have went from cadet to FO, to SFI to Captain. LTC and TRI/TRE could soon follow. All very transferable skills gained in a relatively short time.
One thing that can get to some is a certain level of lack of respect within the organisation. You could certainly say it has been the root of all evils. Some people may entertain a certain 'them and us' attitude. Whether it be management and pilots, pilots and operations, pilots and cabin crew, pilots and engineering - the list goes on. It is obvious that there is a 'I dont give a **** about you because you dont give a **** about me' sentiment circulating. This leads to problems and ultimately when you find yourself backed into a corner, this attitude is the one which will see you shafted. I definetly agree that we need some degree of representation. I am a member of BALPA, however it's unfortunate that many of their efforts have been in vain. Ultimately I believe its because of the 'FUJIMAR' attitude in the airline - **** YOU JACK I'M ALRIGHT! This attitude however will usually come around a bite you in the ass as there will be no one there to help you when you need it most!
So there you have it. I fully believe it's down to how you approach the job. It's going to be harder for you if you are leaving behind something that bit better i.e in terms of T&Cs, ethos and values. However then again you may be willing to surrender all this for more money and a bullet proof roster. In terms of joining as a cadet, well there is an arguement to the fact that this is all you have known so therefore it's ok. Slightly 'more worldly' individuals will know that that is a different story. However there are no misconceptions. Ryanair does exactly what it says on the tin.