I think BA recruitment guys will always steer clear of PPL's for cadetships & self improvers for DEP.
At the last BALPA EOC, I asked the two BA reps to clarify why they look at the length time from CPL issue to IR.
Being a self improver and going the BCPL route, I had to wait until i logged 600 hrs before I could do my IR then get my CPL / IR issued at 700hrs. I had been instructing to gain the hours & the time was about a year.
I asked if I would be discriminated due to the length of time, and the guy said YES! Why I asked, and he said " We dont really know what you have been up to in that time! "
B7%$dy hard work teaching students in a controlled airspace environment, and training pilots without bad habits because I would have been caught out at the first student I put in for test!
If you have a PPL, try for every sponsorship going because some one has to get them. Remember some organisations make money on testing, other wise try a cdl, personal loan, visa etc all of what I did (£7000 on CC & 17 still on a Per loan) to sponsor yourself. Get a job in op's etc & some body will one day benefit from your loyalty.