Hey Girls and Guys, I was once on the outside looking in as well. My background is all civilian- skydiver driver/flight Instructor/charter/cargo dog/commuter/ non sked...here is what I see: perseverance and attitude are everything. Being humble goes a long way. Lots of pilots hired ahead of me had less hours, etc. It simply is the way it is. There is no magic secret, you have to be persistent, make friends, talk to everyone. Be positive, and it seems like the airlines look for something that makes you stand out from the rest. Plus, what do you do on your free time? Do you help out as a volunteer? I.E. Boy/Girl scout leader, youth groups, animal shelter, Habitat for Humanity, etc. This shows you are a team person who looks out for someone besides just themself, which is increasingly rare these days. Delta people do a lot of Habitat for Humanity house building, you would probably meet someone helpful there. Anyone with two thousand hours or so can fly an airliner without a problem, but are you the one that is exceptionally motivated to learn the airplane and new company in a highly compressed time frame, with no failures along the way? Can you be the new F/O to fly a 5 day, 25 leg trip with plane swaps every other leg in poor weather, no food, min rest, min ground time....with a smile on your face?
Good luck! Never give up! When you make it, pass along the gouge!