I qualified from an ICAO conversion at the sharp end of 2008, just when the recession was hitting. I achieved this at Bournemouth (modular obviously).
I got one lucky interview with a regional TP operator which resulted in sim check and a job offer. The music then rapidly stopped as the recession hit and I found myself hold pool "swimming" indefinitely. Apart from a whiff of a job offer in Air Taxi (never happened..long story) I was in the same boat as everyone else.
The absolute key: keep current - I flew skydivers, scraped money for my IR revalidations etc etc. Keep money coming in in the meantime - draw upon your other skills outside aviation if need be. Keeping positive at times was almost impossible and life often felt rather depressing.
Three years later (while keeping in contact with said TP operator) the phone rang and presto - job offer and sim date...and you're back in the game..
Good things can happen....eventually
