in applying if you don't have the hours. Say on your cover letter, at the current rate I should have your minimums in October (or whatever). If it goes in the bin, so be it.
Then when you have the minimums, you can say that you have been wanting to work for company XYZ for a long time and "since our last correspondence, I now have your minimums" etc.
And planned IFR vs IF time...
good comments above (except the last one
).
Planned IFR: As it says. Can be in VMC and no cloud in the sky.
Actual IF time: time of piloting the aircraft with sole reference to the instruments. Dark nights with no moon and no horizon do not count, which is a crock of sh!t in my book, but them's the rules.