Come on LHS, all the FOs we have now joined knowing EK hires DECs, they didn't mind when they joined so I can't see them minding now.
SG, the SIM isn't very hard. If someone needs a few days to relax before doing it, and then be rushed back to a hotel to relax again after it, I would suspect they aren't made of the right cloth. Remember Ek crews had been using that SIM all night to ensure the daytime slot was available for the wannabes.