Your quite correct the self improvement route, as worthy as it was, is finished. I find that very disappointing. There will always be an exception, however as you observe no one is moving anywhere by the "traditional" means. The experience that you gain as an instructor, tug pilot, banner tower or air taxi pilot will personally be worth while in terms of your development and experience, but means nothing to the airlines by and large. They know they can stick a 200hr bod in a TR course successfully. If they can charge for it, even better.