I have done the conversion recently. So far I have only applied to 3 companies, only 1 of which is "hiring" or so they say, the other 2 have stopped, but may start up again. No luck at all so far.

I am not willing to pay for a full TR, for a temporary contract, which is something that severely limits you to finding a job. The whole EU market is full of scumbag deals like the EasyJet gig, or RYR which take advantage of the desperate situation of many newbies. Even Norwegian I hear is hiring for only a 3 year contract of non-permanent nature, and you have to pay for your own TR. Not fun times in Europe, IMO. In the mean while I am in the U.S, I'm doing exactly what you said, I instructed here for a while, and have been flying for the regionals for the past 4.5 years now, on a TP and now on a jet building experience and making very little money. So far none of it has paid off at all. It is all quite frustrating.