In my experience;
Forget anything thats not flying, commit 100% to what you have chosen, if you're not getting positive replies to your speculative CV's (which I know is depressing, but unfortunately inevitable unless you're one of the lucky ones) do more.
Keep sending in the CV's, with low hours it's nearly always down to timing. Do not, however just keep sending without following up by way of phone calls, emails etc etc TO THE PERSON WHO CAN MAKE THE DECISION ON INTERVIEWS. If the PA won't put you through, try phoning when he/she is at lunch (12-1 and if he/she answers then call back at 1-2!) It worked for me.
It is a sad fact when you have a frozen ATPL with only 200ish hours nobody seems to be interested. They want hours. Hours, hours and more hours. You need to keep the total number of hours moving upward. The hours are obviously graded depending on what you are flying and in what conditions, but do not let this put you off.
My advice is FI(R) as soon as possible after issue of your CPL, unless you are in the throws of winter when you may have a little more leeway as having the rating is not going to boost your hours considerably for a few months. I gave myself 2 months after CPL during which time I went through the 'realisation' process described above.
As far as securing a flying instructor/ paradropping/glider towing job is concerned you have to get yourself about. Sitting at the PC emailing or telephoning the school at the other end of the country is no good. Face to face contact is a must, and you must keep on showing how willing and keen you are. A school is a lot more likely to hire a local guy/gal because they know they are paying peanuts, so if the school is not near where you live you need to show them you have somewhere to stay close by (like a relative) and have no ties which will prevent you from moving at the drop of a hat.
Don't be concerned (overly) with the type of hours that you are getting, just as long as you are getting as many as you can as quickly (from your wallets point of view) as you can. There will always be the 'story' of a 'friend' who was told his flying wasn't 'suitable experience'. Well, suitable experience for an airline is someone with a rating and several hundred (ne thousand) hours on the type that they fly. Failing that they look at others setting a 'minimum' requirement for interview, which may be 2500hrs on heavy jet/turboprop. You do not reach these minimums so it is highly unlikely that you will get an interview (but not unheard of).
Many companies interview with a lot less experience than that, but for direct entry on a turbo prop fleet do not be suprised when you hear of guys/gals being offered places when they have as little as 500hrs TT, but more usually 750-1000TT. MOST OF THESE WERE FLYING INSTRUCTORS who flew round in circles no more than 35miles from their home field with the student at the controls! (Not belittling it, just pointing out what I have observed)
Remember, a company may be telling you that they are not currently recruiting but will keep your CV on file, yeah sure they will, but, the situation changes overnight so keep on at them, you're aiming to be the person who is the first to call just as the Chief Pilot has been given the go ahead to recruit a 'few more' pilots. Also remember that if your CV is on file it's not on the desk on the morning when the above happens, and if twenty others are when the CP starts looking, which ones do you think he is going to read first?
It is hard, damned hard, but count it as part of the selection process, they don't want to employ a pilot who gives up because the going has got a little tough, and tell yourself this; You did the bloody hard work passing the IR, so now do the easy bit of making a few phone calls and getting your a@se on a few days out at some airfields!
Keep you chins up, but above all, get your hours up! You will succeed if you want it enough. Go get it, it won't come and get you.
Good luck Wannabes
PP