5 ms·

The Foreigner Dilemna

8 points by john_smith 14y ago

I'm a foreigner (Entrepreneur/Software Engineer) with a H1-B Visa in San Francisco looking for a new job doing iOS development without prior experience in mobile development. After hearing the same thing over and over again from recruiters: "check back in a few months", because my resume didn't check their boxes, I sent one of them the following message: ---------------------------------------- Just to let you know, I'm about to quit my job to work on my own project and above all to do what I love. Quitting my job means waiving up my H1-B work-visa and not being able to work in the US for the near future. My value and potential is not in having prior experience in X or Y technology, but being able to understand and adapt fast to the emerging technologies. I would need one month or two to be up and running on iOS Mobile development. Unfortunately, lot of people don't see these opportunities and complain about a half-existing talent-war. So frustrating. To sum-up about myself: - I was the 6th engineer at STARTUP_X, a one billion dollars start-up right now, I left for visa issues. My main job was doing things I had never done before (hacking nginx servers mainly by reading the code source directly, no documentation available at that time). - I started a company when I was a student which was my main revenue stream to pay my engineering school. I was selling over Internet sporting goods imported from China. From the customer perspective, the transport cost was more expensive than the product itself but it didn't prevent people from buying it as the brand was becoming notorious. I got unexpected traction across Europe but I decided to shut it down to come in San Francisco (I still own the brand). - One year ago, I wasn't speaking English at all. If your change your mind, let me know. I'm flexible enough to prove my value with a trial period or so. Just what I need is to keep up my visa alive which would be crazily hard to rebuild from scratch (Visa transfer is one paper to fill out, building a visa is a 6 months to one year process and the result is not even guaranteed). Best, MR_Y

johncoogan 14y ago
Ping me at johncoogan@me.com - I'll do whatever I can to help. Huge proponent of learning on the job and effort over experience.
anigbrowl 14y ago
Here's your problem: being hired on a H1-B requires the company to show that they were unable to hire a similarly qualified US citizen/permanent resident, and 'similarly qualified' means 'demonstrably experienced in xxxx technology.' If they hire you just because you're personally awesome and with a view to training you or letting you grow into the job, the question arises of why they wouldn't do the same thing for an American, and if they can't answer it then they get shut out of the H1-B process (at worst) or have to go through en expensive round of legal appeals (at best). It is a terrible system that's focused more on credentials and filling out forms than it is on an employers' honest determination of ability and potential, but there it is.
- tarikjn 14y ago
  I personally think the H1-B is not at all the problem. The same recruiting issue would arrise with a US candidate, only they would have the option to take time off on their own to learn technology X to fit recruiter filter. The person posting mentioned he already has a H1-B, transfers are effectively very quick and easy, and nothing precludes from defining a job utilizing the candidate's experience while providing for iOS training, lawyers handle that on a routine basis. US Immigration is a nightmare (I am the first to know it), but in this particular case, what you pinpoint is a non-issue.
  - yashchandra 14y ago
    The H1B factor may not be a non-issue as you point out. It is like the elephant in the room. In 2012, companies are not willing to mess with it unless absolutely needed. So in the OP's case, even though he has good intentions, recruiters are probably not going to understand the value he might bring to the table. I do agree with you though that the issue could happen with a US citzen as well but in case of the OP, his H1B status is definitely making it worse.
yashchandra 14y ago
I totally understand your situation. However, your situation is definitely challenging considering that you need to be sponsored for H1B but do not have the relavant experience to justify the sponsorship which sort of negates the whole point of getting an H1B. Out of curiousity, what do/did you work on while on H1B? You say that you want to do iOS dev. but you might have a better chance using your current experience to secure a sponsored job first. May be then you can try and explore.
thiagodotfm 14y ago
How did you get the H1-B visa?
- john_smith 14y ago
  The company I work for at that time did it.
deleted 14y ago
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8 points by john_smith 14y ago

johncoogan 14y ago

Ping me at johncoogan@me.com - I'll do whatever I can to help. Huge proponent of learning on the job and effort over experience.

anigbrowl 14y ago

Here's your problem: being hired on a H1-B requires the company to show that they were unable to hire a similarly qualified US citizen/permanent resident, and 'similarly qualified' means 'demonstrably experienced in xxxx technology.' If they hire you just because you're personally awesome and with a view to training you or letting you grow into the job, the question arises of why they wouldn't do the same thing for an American, and if they can't answer it then they get shut out of the H1-B process (at worst) or have to go through en expensive round of legal appeals (at best). It is a terrible system that's focused more on credentials and filling out forms than it is on an employers' honest determination of ability and potential, but there it is.

tarikjn 14y ago
I personally think the H1-B is not at all the problem. The same recruiting issue would arrise with a US candidate, only they would have the option to take time off on their own to learn technology X to fit recruiter filter. The person posting mentioned he already has a H1-B, transfers are effectively very quick and easy, and nothing precludes from defining a job utilizing the candidate's experience while providing for iOS training, lawyers handle that on a routine basis. US Immigration is a nightmare (I am the first to know it), but in this particular case, what you pinpoint is a non-issue.
- yashchandra 14y ago
  The H1B factor may not be a non-issue as you point out. It is like the elephant in the room. In 2012, companies are not willing to mess with it unless absolutely needed. So in the OP's case, even though he has good intentions, recruiters are probably not going to understand the value he might bring to the table. I do agree with you though that the issue could happen with a US citzen as well but in case of the OP, his H1B status is definitely making it worse.

yashchandra 14y ago

I totally understand your situation. However, your situation is definitely challenging considering that you need to be sponsored for H1B but do not have the relavant experience to justify the sponsorship which sort of negates the whole point of getting an H1B. Out of curiousity, what do/did you work on while on H1B? You say that you want to do iOS dev. but you might have a better chance using your current experience to secure a sponsored job first. May be then you can try and explore.

thiagodotfm 14y ago

How did you get the H1-B visa?

john_smith 14y ago
The company I work for at that time did it.

deleted 14y ago

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