"why waste my time" and "I kind of don't need to be a CFI" are very telling statements. I don't mean to be rude, you probably don't know enough about flying to be a good airline pilot (I know I was not and darn near every person I knew with the experience you desribe didn't either). You will probably learn more as a CFI than just about any flying you will probably ever do (no, I am not a 121 pilot, but I have been flying 135 single pilot for nearly half your life). I know I learned more in the first 100 hours of flight instructing than in any other 1000 hours I have flown. Even if one does not wish to flight instruct as a living or time builder, it is a different environment and any new enviornment lets one learn new things. Heck, I am working on my glider ratings now for fun and have learned a ton more about flying in the "slow flight" realm in a few hours than I have flying powered aircraft.

A note about those folks that "don't want to learn." I have yet to meet anyone who is willing to spend $3-4000 on a private ticket that didn't want to learn. (Perhaps you are projecting your attitude on other, but that is not my place to say)

If you choose not to be a CFI, fine, but don't say in an interview it is a waste of time. Tons of folks who are employed as pilots have been CFIs and you would ruffle some feathers. You could get away with saying something like I chose to fly as a glider tower or pipeline patrol because the schedule allowed me to finish my degree.

Finnaly, the pilots that scare me the most are the ones who don't realise they are mortal or think they have learned all there is to know.

Good luck,
J