I did the uncle hulie thing for several years. First and foremost, the airline business has an unsustainable model of doing business. It's a loser no matter how far up or down you look at it. Big companies (majors) lose money and small companies (regionals) make it at a cost of personal misery, misfortune and bloated ideology that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, which, for you newby low time guy's, that will be your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hopefully you live at home or with family that is willing to have you there so you don't have to pay rent.
The regional low cost carrier, not to mention deregulation, killed this industry. When you figure your cost of training, you'll quickly find out that the amount of work you have to perform to pay that back is maddening. You will be pushed by the company, doesn't matter which one it is, to a degree of anger, frustration, and disappointment beyond your imagination. YOU WILL MAKE LESS MONEY AND CARRY MORE DEBT OVER TIME THAN YOU THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE!
I left the business, and have considered going back to it (regional, that is) and the idea of slogging it out there makes me feel very feculent; feculent defined: filled with filth and human waste; used in a sentence; my feculence for regional flying is at all time high. So, if and when you decide NEWBY AIRLINE PILOT to get in to this game (and it is a GAME, believe me) make absolutely G*D D*MN sure you have a back up plan and something, some form of education or experience in a different field that you can get yourself in to.
You will be treated like a dog and then beat like a punching bag in a prison. If you are looking for fast upgrade, good luck, that ship sailed for most companies a few years back. Be prepared monkey's for right seat freedom for years, not to mention the fun of being on RESERVE FOR SIX DAYS STRAIGHT, maybe you'll fly, maybe you won't, but one thing is for sure, the company will not release you until the absolute last minute of your last day. If you miss the last flight home (commuters), SUCK IT, to bad *********, enjoy your 1.5 days off, and, oh by the way, you have to come back on your day off because your reserve starts at 5am the next morning.
Be sure you want to do this. In the words of the Mighty Hetfield (metallica, losers) BROKEN BEAT SCARRED.