Well so far the thread is as cheerful as they come, might as well cheer it up further !!!
Short term - No jobs, excess of experience pilots on the market. Got to have a contact to get in. When you're in the salary is poor.
Medium term - Probably a pick up in two to three years, if recession dosen't hit or the Americans take matters further in the Gulf.
Long term - Well with Rockwell flying these pilotless aircraft (the size of business jets) across the atlantic and the cockpit technology increasing year on year. You've probably got 15 to 20 years left of multi-crew operations, followed by a lowering of standards required for single pilot operations as technology takes over.
Before anyone jumps down my throat passionately saying there will always be a pilot at the front of the aircraft - the passengers won't accept it. No one seems to mind jumping into the unmanned airport shuttle at the Gatwick Satalite pre-boarding. What with 9/11 and Human Error the major cause of accidents, the drive is already there to ensure more control is directed from the ground.
Think long and hard before buying yourself into a career like being a bus conductor. Before you know it, bus conductors will be surplus to requirements.
I thought long and hard, but the bug got to me I'm afraid and I would still rather be in a cockpit than flying around behind a desk, recession or no recession, future or no future after all you only live once !!!