At least I know Im not on my own with all this. Sadly the low cost carriers have ruined the job market. Unless you are a 20 year old with daddys money; willing to work for nothing on a 6 month seasonal contract it appears to me that it is very difficult to get any kind of job in the RHS of an airliner. Ironically the application forms preach on about professionalism, dedication etc etc, very emotive words although their practices are anything but.
The time of one serving his time as a flying instructor, piston twin air taxi pilot, turbo prop FO and then jet Sky God have gone it would appear. Instead the airlines would rather employ a 200 hour wonder, practically making your modern airliner a single pilot operation. I can only welcome whats happening in the US with regards to flight time although their system has always been superior.
Sometimes I wish I could cash my chips in too, although I do occasionally feel lucky to witness a sunrise at FL390 or to see the whole of London lit up below. However lifes practicalities often cause me to see sense- how am I going to pay the morgage, why have the school drop outs driving a better car, live in a bigger house and have a far more rounded structured life with hardly no effort on their part etc.