Originally Posted by Soxfan1

I agree that recruiting won’t care. I think the OP wants to make sure the choice they make sets them up for a successful training experience.

I think it could two ways, Buy plane:

1. Fly vfr in uncontrolled airspace for 500 hours.

2. File IFR, in and out of busy airspace, practice approaches, holds, ect for 500 hours.

Both will get him the job. The second would allow him to keep it.