I hear ya. Two things I was told to tell people: a) update, update, update, b) job fair(s).

A buddy of mine has a friend desperate to get on with DAL. For a time there he went to as many job fairs as he could to the point the Delta folks knew his name when he showed up. I'll have to ask how that turned out for him.

Of course a Coex buddy went to a job fair way back a few years ago and hoped to get on with AirTran. He handed his resume over to a female FO who handed it right back and said sorry not enough Captain time. The irony. Oh well, he's at Delta now and she lost them a great pilot... I mean why not take the resume?? And I know he wasn't the only one because I know of someone else rejected by AirTran but whose resume was taken by DAL and they got a call. All that to say if necessary do more than one.

And this is the reason why I chose the 135 route. I fly a King Air making double what most regional guys make and I spend a maximum of 8 nights away from home per month. My pay is better, my qol is better, I don't have to join a stupid union, and I get to fly different places all the time and meet really cool people. Everyone else can fly the big shiny jets.

I have many friends in corporate flight departments that wouldn't consider it being 'stuck in a rut.' Of course it depends upon the company, but if you get yourself into a great corporate position you could end up making just as much as a 121 captain and have a much better quality of life. Also, depending on the type ratings you hold and networking, you can make really great money contracting on your days off ($400 a day minimum for a light jet SIC up to $1500+ a day for large business jet PIC).

Unfortunately, in some cases the 121 operators are not a step down, but a jump off the cliff.

The US is no longer the land of opportunity as it relates to commercial aviation.

I left Eagle for a Corporate gig in order to build TPIC and hopefully get to AA. I don't consider it a rut at all.
I have really enjoyed the flying and the few overnights that we do. The pay is twice what I made a Eagle....but the schedule is the big hang up for most.

This is so true and the most common point that airline pilots overlook. The grass always looks greener outside of aviation but I can tell you that it's not from personal experience working for a so called stable company that used to be number 21 on the Fortune list. Just like you said, I have my MBA and I worked sometimes from 7am to midnight only to be at work the next day at 7am, my laptop and blackberry always followed me home on the weekends. I've watched not hundreds but thousands of people get laid off over time, management get hacked in half and combined with other divisions.
Yes if you compare the airline job to what it used to be before deregulation or even 911 it has gone downhill but try comparing aviation to what it's really like outside of aviation. Even if you get stuck at a regional living in base for the rest of your life, go try and make 100k in the corporate world with half of the month off. With that being said I will admit that if you get laid off from an airline job it doesn't even compair to a corporate layoff because you can't move laterally and you have to start from scratch. My point is just like you said, that the airline job isn't perfect but neither is the non-aviation corporate job.

Been there; done that.... couldn't agree with you more.

Where outside of the US is commercial aviation flourishing that one would want to and could easily move to? I am not disagreeing, just asking. I do not think I could live in the Far East or the UAE. The foreign airline I am considering the most seriously is Air Canada, but getting Canadian citizenship seems to be the major issue. I have to prove residence in Canada for a few years before I can apply for citizenship...great, how am I supposed to do that and work a flying job at the same time?

maybe you can marry a canadian?

I'd consider a job overseas, after careful consideration of family factors, a spouse open to new cultures, etc. The future of aviation in the US is, realistically, on a long-term downward spiral...things look only to get worse. Many opportunities for very high pay, no tax, perks, etc exist abroad...but, you must have some multi-engine command time (ATP with no circling restrictions and a valuable type-rating). What looks to be a bright future here, could be something completely different in 5 years...consider what majors may go bankrupt. Anyway, something to consider. The market for pilots here looks bleak, and will get bleaker. Sam