Yeah, I'm thinking if you have around 400 hours and can get a decent instructing job, you'll build up enough time to go to your first choice regional much quicker than going to another 121 carrier, going through training, waiting on IOE, then playing the reserve game. Plus the added experience you'll gain may make a difference in your successful completion of training anyway. Let's say it takes about 2 months for you to complete training and begin IOE. In those 2 months, especially being a CFI/II and MEI, you should be able to instruct at least 60 hours a month I would think, depending on where you live, the availability of students, and what kind of equipment you have available, etc... If you could do that for 3 months you'd have almost 600 hours. In that 3 months at _______ airlines, you wouldn't have much more than 50 or 60 hours I would guess. Just another opinion...