There is a big difference between paying for a type rating, and trying to buy a job, but back to that in a second.
Paying for a rating is not the cause of operators now expecting you to be type rated. Pilots who have got a "free" type rating and left before their commitment is done is the reason. How long did we think operators were going to continue funding our career advancement. We are our own worst enemy!!
Anyway, back to buying a job. If you go to an airline that charges you an extortionate amount of money for a rating with the promise of a job once you are done, you are buying a job, plane(sic) and simple. These are the dregs of operators, and not much better from the pilots. These are the people that are ruining it for the youngsters who go out and instruct or fly humanitarian or charter for 1500 hours before trying to get into an airline. However, this is human nature, "the path of least resistance" and I am hoping EASA will adopt the same principle as the FAA is doing, that you will not be able to fly for an airline without an ATP (unfrozen) This, while you think is bullcr@p and all the other words you can think of to describe it will reform the European airline industry as far as pilots are concerned. No-one that has had to do 4 years of flying humanitarian relief in Africa, or midnight charters out of Scotland in winter to get to 1500 hours is going to part with £25000 for a 737 type, and all the people who want to be AIRLINE PILOTS because its cool, rather than real pilots in an airline, will get weeded out because of the hard slog to get the 1500 hours. It will also make the sleezy operators reduce the ludicrous cost of type ratings and concentrate on running an airline, realizing that training is a necessary part of the industry, not a cash cow.
But until that happens, you are always going to get 250 hour pilots who think they have earned the right to fly a 319.
My best advice to you all, is to look outside of the box, find a flying position that gives you fun and adventure for the first few years, build some time and then go and find the boring seat you are going to fill till your are 65.
There is no rush, that seat will still be there, and who knows, if EASA brings in the 1500 hour rule, you will be a lot closer to your dream than the guy with 250 hours TT and an Airbus rating that He mortgaged his life away for!!