Things like banner towing, photo, pipeline and skydiving are all seasonal over most of the US, and amazingly sparse compared to the number of pilots. Instructing is the "normal" way to go, but I have issues with instructing, both from the idea that I don't really want to do that right now, and from the idea that a 250 pilot should not necessarily be instructing new pilots, but that he/she should have much more experience first. Just my opinion.
However I'm not in Africa because I want to build hours, I'm in Africa because I fell in love with the idea of flying in Africa just after I fell in love with flying, which was in 1981, thirty years ago. So for thirty years I've been "preparing" for this trip.
Again, when I saw "GA" and "work" in the same sentence I just couldn't help but laugh. It was not meant to impune people in Maun, and in fact has nothing to do with Maun. I'm not the bloke saying stuff about pilots in Maun. Nor am I saying anything about the way they hire there.
But I will now.
They can choose to hire whoever they want and in whatever manner they want. It's their company.
If you had that company you'd probably use the exact same criteria.
If you know a person, you would be better able to decide than if you don't know them.
If they won't stick around for more than a month, then why would you think they'd stick around after they're hired? (probably had more than one pilot say "it's too hot, I'm going back to Sweden")
If a pilot doesn't get along with everyone in the company BEFORE they're hired, how can you expect them to get along AFTER they're hired?
And on and on.
I'd even say that there are reasons for wanting pilots with less than 500 TT, without a CFI, less than 25 years old, but more than 21, and numerous other criteria, that appear to be random, but actually can find significant reason for implementation.
The fact that a person is bitter about not being hired, and expressing int in a public forum, should indicate that the person is not the kind of person one would want working in such an environment. What else would make them bitter if you'd hired them? the fact that they didn't get a raise in six months? or didn't get promoted to the Caravan in 12 months? or what?
Maybe someone in the organization with skill at reading people saw this before it manifested itself here.
Why to they want you to "hang out" and "buy them a beer"? How about because it's a small town, small companies, and you have to rely on each other. Have you pledged a fraternity? Most likely not, cuz you'd have to be at least 22 to have done University.
When you pledge a fraternity, they want to find out if you can live in the same house as the rest of the brothers. So they put you through tests that find out how you deal with different situations, looking for loyalty and trust. I think (emphasize the word think) that this is a similar process.
If you think your way is better, then get together the cash and start your own charter company.