There's nothing wrong with flying Barons, Chieftains, King Airs. From personal experience, it doesn't pay enough to make a career out of and therefore isn't sustainable long term. At some point, you need to access the higher salaries commensurate with larger aircraft.
Exactly, but it pays vastly more than any PTF job no matter how large the aircraft.
If I were on the other side of the desk doing the hiring...I would take the guy with time in the weeds over a lower time guy with jet time. Unfortunately, the airlines seem to disagree... probably because they don't let pilots make the staffing decisions anymore.