MotoRinzler
Many employers use their HR department to run filters WRT candidates. Officially age cannot be used but it is. Unofficially, if you're over 40 and you're low time, then you'll struggle to get a look in with most airlines. Yes, it is wrong but that's the reality with many companies. The reason is return of service for the money spent training and there is a perception that older candidates aren't mentally flexible enough to deal with the rigors of sim and ground school in the minimum time.
Other factors that can make a person unemployable, the fact that someone says that they are flexible but the reality is that they have family commitments, etc and then once hired, their flexibility and willingness to move dries up. Now, are you this person? Who knows? Your wife says she's on board now, but 2-3 years into no holidays or can't get them when she wants because you're too junior, who knows?
There are other things that make someone unemployable, essentially it's the employer's experience with a particular group that they've had experience with and if you have some of those characteristics, you're not going to get a look-in.
Many of them do become apparent during the sim assessment and interview. Authoritarian in the sim, too aggressive, not cooperative, too smug. Liar. Argumentative. it is an art to put your idea across without being a ****.
Oh - in all the jobs I have applied for, I have never been asked for exam results. No one cares in reality. Perhaps some airlines do, I don't know. Given you're probably not going for the bigger airlines, then it'll be school recommendations to a certain extent and how you've conducted yourself during your training. Real life experience? Might mean something but in the end it's all down to "can you fly and can I get on with you?" (For smaller & regional ops).