s/o or flight instructor
Scubabri,
"Why would an airline want to hire an instructor with 1250 hrs rather than a newly minted CPL with 250hrs"
As one of the above mentioned Instructors let me enlighten you and I shall try not to be patronising.
With your shiney CPL despite what your FTO may have told you,
you realy dont have much of a clue about flying aeroplanes at all,
after a year or two of instructing you are somewhat more aware of the problems affecting the operations of aeroplanes wether they be C152 or A320. Also your ability to handle an aeroplane in difficult conditions aswell as navigate and put together a usefull lesson for yor student will improve and make you a more able/competant pilot.
After obtaining my CPL/IR 1 month prior to 9/11 I opted to get an Instructors ticket and I dont regret it at all.
If I was a flight ops manager and I had the choice between a pilot in current flying practice who has shown they are prepared to graft to get on, and only need 500 multi crew hours to get the green book, or a pilot with 250hrs who hasnt flown 10hrs in the last 6 months who has been sat round watching Ready Steady Cook, its a bit of a no brainer.
Also can I just point out that just because you have done 1000hrs of instructing it dosnt mean you are any less mouldable than the 250hr pilot. I am 24 yrs old with plenty of mouldability left over.