I know a couple of pilots who got there first jobs in the RHS of A320 as First Officer and 757/767 as a Second Officer. Won't mention any names, no need.
"Many people took ten years to find a flying job and that was when the situation was far better than it is now."
What's that wrong with the situation now?
You have numerous airlines that are recruiting/going to recruit soon. Whens the last time you saw Britannia generously offer sponsorship? And there are several more sponsorship oppurtunities becoming available via CTC MCAlpine....never seen this before, gees, I'd want to be this age 10 years ago.
I'd say now was a pretty respectable time to be looking at recruitment, also with many oldy's going to retire soon. There's never going to be a time where airlines will offer "MASS RECRUITMENT FOR LOW HOUR PILOTS" so I don't know what you all relate to as being a "good or bad" time for recruitment. Airlines are either recruiting or there not, and at the moment there are several airlines recruiting. If only for intermediate houred pilots..still, good for those with the hours, and it helps get rid of competition for us low houred peeps. Or "Empty the boat" should I say.