The term sh1tty job is probably unfair to use insomuch that guys right now in the current market would probably snap your arm off for a shot at them.......night mail runs, single pilot IFR in a piston twin (real character building stuff in a harsh UK winter) and single pilot IFR on a twin turbo prop in Africa with no support to speak of.
I feel I have a great deal of experience and airmanship savvy to fall back on if needed and wouldn't change the way I came up "through the ranks" so to say.
I do think the original OP has got a slightly rose tinted view of the job i.e. cars, money,girls and dare I say it glamour. There are a lot of guys who see the shiny brochures and get sucked in by the ads the reality is very different, especially at 0330z on a freezing wet winters day with a one hour plus drive into work for a 9,10 or 12 duty day, followed by the drive home and the prospect of 4 or 5 similar days ahead.
In the current market the low houred CPL/fATPL is on to a beating for nothing.