I am not getting into the "how low is too low" debate.... but for those who are going right from the commercial checkride to an RJ, here are a few things I learned before I was offered a regional job..

As a CFI:

British students buy the beer the day of thier first solo
It takes 12 hours to earn 8 hours of pay
How to quickly judge the quality of the pilot sitting next to me
How to recover from unusual attitudes (student induced) in VMC and IMC
Thunderstorms "in the area" does not prohibit all flight

Flying freight:
Stay on time
the FAA may approve of the CG calculation method I just used, but that
doesnt mean some bonehead didnt sneak an anvil into the tail
How the plane "sits" on the ramp says a lot more about CG than any calculation
Planes will fly over gross (see bonehead above)
Stay on time
One lost flight will wipe out a week's worth of profit
Stay on time
Nav lights are often repaired by a good rap on the lens
"It failed in flight"
How to make REAL decisions

As an air ambulance pilot:
30 year old autopilots fly to private pilot standards
Giving a safety brief to a mother whose child (the patient) may die, is useless
The majority of people are afraid of flying
Many passengers think pilots control the weather
How to use an MEL in the real world
How to communicate with the mechanics about squaks
How to communicate with ATC to get the best service possible
When to use Pan Pan in real life
Minimum fuel is not an emergency and can be declared at takeoff





There are three types of pilots:
Those who think they know everything
Those who KNOW they know everything
And those who are smart enough to know they are still learning