I think that a pilot would actually serve himself/herself better to find a Turboprop job before flying a jet. There are a couple of reasons for this.

First, in most cases you can expect more cycles with a turboprop, which is the experience you really need on the front end of your career.

Second, it opens up another avenue for potential employment in the future. If you, like me, love to fly and would like to continue to do it until you can't pass your medical, a tprop part 135 or part 91 could be open to you after retirement from your airline career.

Third, turboprops are pretty cool! Of course, I may just be an airplane ***** as I will fly almost anything with wings, but the list of airplanes I would like type ratings in include a B1900, S340B, EMB120, and a King Air 350. Why? I don't really know. Wierd, maybe, but I think all of those aircraft are incredibly cool for different reasons. I would also like a type rating in a DC-3 because I think it is one of the most incredible aircraft ever made!

Although I would like to retire from a place with a 717 and/or 737 type (can you guess where?) TODAY I would prefer to fly turboprops over RJ's given the opportunity. (That could change tomorrow!)