Count, I agree entirely.
I just wanted to point out that the HR mafia often don't understand the demographics of some/many companies and the decision of highly experienced pilots who, for lifestyle or personal reasons, do not want to shift to the left hand seat. There is no 'fault' of the individual it is just that we often operate under perceptions of our industry that often are not reflective of the real world.
I flew with a great SFO a while back who had flown just about everything the RAF had to throw at him. He is in his early 50's and considers his current job to be his retirement job and is quite happy, after years of running the lead, to sit back and enjoy.
As you quite rightly point out if he were to drop back into the employment seeking world then he would have to justify that position. I feel however that in such a case it wouldn't be too difficult for him personally.
As always when it comes to airline interviews the young will get through on their micropat scores and their innate willingness to do anything to get the job, the more senior of us will have to sell ourselves better at the interview.
