The market is horrible for everyone right now, at 250 hours you are looking at banner tow or getting your CFI. Traffic watch is rare and pipeline patrol wants more hours. Good luck landing a banner towing job as all the other 250 hour guys want to tow instead of teach.

The mentality of instructing not being a good job has got to go. It is very rewarding to watch others go to all the steps you went through as a student. I am proud of every one of my students and when they do things such as the first solo or pass a checkride it really does make my day. The pay sucks but at some places it isn't to bad. I suggest getting your CFI and CFII. If anything you will learn what not to do.

Students do some of the most unpredicable things and will place you in bad situations time after time after time. It is your responsibility to keep yourself, your student and your aircraft safe from your student. This may sound like a bad thing but your confidence will grow as well as your ability to remain calm under pressure.

I don't know what banner tow pilots do with their time, listen to a ipod maybe?

I don't see the 250 hour market getting better until spring.