A word of caution. There are loads of expats in this part of the world that have thousands of hours under their belts and no chance at a job so come over with a backup plan.
The European market has changed significantly over the past 5 or so years. Previously turbo prop time was seen as an advantage, as was instructing. Airlines such as Flybe would take on loads of expats onto the Dash and would value your hours and experience base. Easyjet would factor your hours depending on what type you had but if you had sufficient time then you could have found yourself in the RHS of a 737 or A320 having met their minimums. When BA were recruiting they would take on suitably qualified and experienced pilots so long as they passed their stringent entrance tests no matter what type.
Presently pay to fly schemes abound. Not only are type ratings being paid for but people are forking out 30k for 500 hours of line training as well on types such as the 737 and A320. Schools such as CTC are churning out cadets with 250 hours. These cadets have all passed a battery of psychometric, verbal reasoning and other tests before they even got onto the course and handed over 100k or so. Schools such as CTC have "partner" airlines that will take on these cadets eg: Easyjet, Monarch. As they are prescreened then they fit into the airline mould and tick all of the HR boxes. Overall this is seen by recruiters as a way of reducing the training risk to the airline. They then get a type rating when a job is on offer which will be done to company SOPs so that they hit the ground running when it comes to line training.
Only problem now though is that there are no jobs. The hold pools at CTC are filling up fast. The airlines are even changing the rules as well. Rather than offering firm jobs they are making them seasonal contracts on daily rates. There is no job security. People are coming out of the holding pool, doing 6 months work then going back into the pool.
Whilst your experience is no doubt valuable, in todays market the rules have changed. Why will an airline such as Easy employ someone like you who will demand a decent salary while there is someone that will work for free?
Smaller operators who do not subscribe to the above system are not recruiting. The pilots that are employed by them are staying put as there is nowhere else to go to. The traditional shift from instructor, RHS turbo prop, LHS turbo prop, RHS jet just isn't there anymore. Also the big players in the market such as BA have no plans to recruit for the foreseeable future. This previously had a positive effect on the overall market as it gets people moving up the ladder.
Other options such as the corporate jet market are even tougher to get into as there are so few jobs and lots of these are through word of mouth. Redsnails employer is if I am not mistaken one of the largest in the world and is undergoing significant change with no light at the end of the tunnel for a pick up in recruiting.
Good luck.
Last edited by potkettleblack; 8th Jan 2010 at 11:37.