Don't tell everybody you need 2000 hours then go hire your mate/someelses mate/some chick you pulled last week with 500 hours.
Sometimes the person with 2000 hours is less attractive than the person with less (logbook) experience but broader life experience, or a specific set of skills (LAME/AME, IT, Marketing, time on type).
...sometimes the 2000 hour candidate has changed jobs every 3-6 months and has provided as referee ANYONE except their previous chief pilots....
(Not saying any of the above apply to Neville Nobody!)