I've read loads of threads just like this over the years and many others with a similar theme. The conclusion from all of them is that for the last 3-4years, right now and probably for a few more years to come, there will be little requirement for low houred pilots, especially when comparing the current demand to that in 2004-07 (ish).
I started my commercial training in 2007, when all still looked 'good' and sadly graduated at the start of one of the biggest financial disasters the globe has seen, post war.
I chose to go into flight instruction after my graduation in 2008 - I had always thought that one day I might get into teaching, as my pre-aviation career involved a lot of it, which I 'kinda' enjoyed.
Since completing my flight instructor rating in 2008 I have been an instructor ever since. I worked self-employed for less than £8 an hour during the week, sometimes close to the legal maximum rest, in order to make enough money to afford the petrol to and from the airport. I also held up an evening job to subsidise my living and pay for my original training loan!
I made lots of new friends and managed to get some other work helping with another aviation company on the airfield, doing admin and working with corporate customers.
After nearly two years of developing my flying skills as an FI, holding up 3 jobs to pay the bills I finally got another job as an FI with a large training organisation abroad. So off I went, moving to another country (bye bye life,friends, and family) and completed 1.5 year contract with them. I invested more money in myself, spending every penny I had spare on trying to make myself'more employable', such as attaching MEIR privileges to my FI rating. Sadly there was no extension to this contract and I came home, unemployed, over 6 months ago.
Since then I’ve gone back to my 'back-up' career, what I did before joining aviation. Thank god I had some good experience in another industry!
So 5 years after embarking on all this aviation-madness (done for love,clearly not for money OR a stable lifestyle) I have finally succeeded in passing through a really rigorous selection process for a foreign based airline and at somepoint next year I will be joining them on their heavy jet fleet - obviously i'm over the moon.
So I suppose some things to extract from my short experience, from Rose-tinted cadet to hardened employed/unemployed/part-time/underpaid/etc pilot is this:
- Only spend what you can afford on training.
- Always have a back-up plan, no matter how lucky you get after training, I guarantee one day you will need it, at least for a while.
- Don’t knock GA or being an FI, it might be just as hard to get into these days, but it has done me the world of good and no one has thought any less of me.
- Stay positive and enjoy what you're doing, there’s nothing worse than being taught by a disgruntled FI who's only there because he didn’t get his A320 job first!
- Be nice to people, they will look after you when you’re on the way back down!
- I went into this thinking I was going to BA when I graduated, Ha-ha! People moan a lot about the situation they're in BUT no one helped me to get where I am right now. It may have taken me 5 years, but I did it myself. So it can be done, just stick with it and for those who are considering the career IT IS the best job in the world, but it’s NOT going to be easy.
Good luck.
PS. sorry for the long post!