Matt
The market is rapidly becoming flooded with young pilots with 500 hrs on type looking for a job that doesn't exist. Why? Because once you have your 500 you are dispensed with and the next sucker is taken on.
So what happens to these guys?
Airlines have developed in two ways:
a) Ones that still expect decent BROAD experience. ie. a few thousand hours spread around and gained over some years.
b) Your Ryainair type that will only look at you without the type training as they are on a backhander from the FTO!
So, go spend your, (the banks), money, get the type, get the 500hrs, demean the industry, lower everyones T&C's, take the place of experienced pilots and then find yourself staring into a £100k+ abyss!
Food for thought eh?