Loads of good info on this thread.
My advice would be to either go to an outfit where you already know somebody and they can recommend the company as being a good place to be. Or, do as much research as you can on the company you're interested in and certainly talk to at least one or two of the pilots.
I reckon the hours can vary between 200 - 600 a year.
For me personally, I like the variety of flying in my current corporate job, working closely with a small crew for 2 weeks at a time and having a steady roster. Though I have been with outfits where 'roster' didnt really feature in the dictionary !
ND