Don't know about educating you but I will pass on some observations of the past 40 years of trying to get hired and being in training, including new hires. I see lots of guys on this post emphasizing how much time they have and the type a/c they have flown and while that's important other factors and experience have lots to do with getting on . Example, 10,000 hr CRJ Capt with 8000 jet pic doesn't get a call. 5000 hr 747f FO does. He has 1000 hrs as a Twin Otter Capt and 1000 in the 747. HR and flt ops at most airlines work together to hire pilots and the hr folks have significant influence.Corporate types like HR people like diversity and indications of continued advancement of your career.Sitting in one place without adding to your resume while not red flag put you back in the pile with the 10000 other applications that look the same. I'm not saying the 10,000 hr guy will not get hired because when the airlines need lots of people they will get a chance. It's just that people that stand out to HR will be first.
And the reference to preferred hiring is a bit weak. Most blacks and woman over the years qualifications have been greater that the class average, in general there are just to many qualified to take in low time people. And as for insiders I know way more Capt sons that didn't get the call than did.