G'day!
I am currently employed with a regional airline called Airlink in Madang, Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a First Officer on the EMB110 'Bandit' fleet.
For those of you that are scratching your heads to the whereabouts of PNG, just find Australia and head North till you find the next largest landmass.
It's a very beautiful place with coral-encrusted islands to dense rainforests as you work your way from the coast up into the highlands.
I started my Flight Training in early 2004 at General Flying Services at Bankstown airport, Sydney, Australia. I graduated in mid 2005 with a CPL, MECIR, aerobatics endorsement and a frozen ATPL. The day after graduation, I started applying to various charter companies in Northern outback Australia. I didn't have any luck with any as they were asking for more experience (I only had 240hrs total).
I decided to travel overseas to PNG to search around the aviation scene there, and by this stage I had already received my new PCC CV and instanly felt more confident in getting that first job. And sure enough I was offered a position in Dec 2006, I was ecstatic! Flying in PNG is said to be one of the most challenging places to fly in the world. The terrain is laid out with numerous valleys and mountains that reach up to nearly 15,000 feet with tropical thunderstorms daily and badly maintained nav aids. So it takes some concentration to survive up there.
So if I may, I would like to say to those new Commercial Pilots, don't be afraid of leaving your comfort zone. Sure apply to companies in your state and country, but think beyond your country's borders.
Best of luck in your flying career!!