To the college student B73H still flying Pipers:
I'm writing this to you as I would counsel my child if they asked me the same question.
B73H, you get older, wiser and as you mature, things aren't as simplistic and two dimensional such as staying in college, attempting to acheive good grades, working hard at a non-career oriented position, going home to parents during the Holidays and flying Pipers as a hobby (or future career choice) during the spare hours. But that's OK, that's what college students are suppose to do and think.
Things aren't that easy as you put it, for example to say: "Hey Mr. FedEx or Hey Mr. Continental, I''m a former/retired F-15 Pilot and because of that, you have to hire me NOW" or go to a Contract Services a tell them "Thanks, I'll take your $110,000 per yer job, but I want to be based in the US, because I don't want to move my family overseas per your contract and offer".
I have several buddies who I flew with in the USAF and they went on to fly the Space Shuttle as Pilot and Missions Commander, who are now retiring out of NASA with the same predicament I am in. In fact, I got a call from one of them this morning about my contract flying offer since they have not heard from any of the airlines that they applied for, and quite frankly, they're getting worried about where the next paycheck will be coming from (government retirement wage scale now-a-days or even in the past doesn't mean you retire out in the beaches of Tahiti or Monaco).
"Young man or person", life isn't as easy as you make it, and cetain choices aren't easily available. As you get older with a family, mortgage and other traditional responsibillities, "quality of life" issues along with career goals with a age limitations becomes paramount (especially as a pilot).
B73H, slight education here, line-pilots are one of very few (and I say very few) white collar occupations, where experience level does not always mean higher wages. With collective bargaining or a "set" wage scales, unlike Doctors, Dentist, Lawyers, Accountants and Corporate Mangament whose experience levels equals the commensurate wage offered to them based on their expertise and experience. This is in most part is non-existant in the pilot-world unless the corporation such is Boeing or Lockheed is seeking a test-pilot and wages are negotiable. It's take it or leave it, if you don't want it, I've got 1,000 more pilots willing fly for half the asking wages or to pay me to fly my airplanes. Though at this point, personally not having flying experience with a collective bargaining operations, the matters becomes a very "hot and touchy" subject. You can see it happening with UPS currently. Though at this point are really don't have an opinion on collective bargaining, it's base point of view is "quality of life".
Think of it this way, you just graduated out of college, have just enough hours of apply to a company such as commuter/regional (you have no family to support, no mortgage or other worries of life) and get hired on, you'll be paid "exactly" the same "LOW" wage that a Space Shuttle Mission Commander, retired Military with 8,000+ high performance flight hours (who has a family, mortgage, 3 kids one them a sick child and a wife who doesn't want to live in a foreign country) will make.
That's why many of the furloughed pilots and retired military has gotten out of aviation totally. I could rattle off at least two dozen buddies who no longer fly with condition such as this. But for some, with their backs against the wall and willing to continue aviation career, they are willing to sacrifice the quality of life issues and be employed at places such as Southern Air (more power to them, and I respect their choices based on what their needs are).
My advice B73H, "Stay in school, get good grades, stay out of trouble, graduate and have fun flying your Pipers".