Dec 22, 2011
Today I was going to blog about snowflakes and the beauty of geometry and then somehow relate it to CAD design in spirit of the SEASON, but I decided that takes far too much brain power given the fact that I’m in my last few hours of work before a four day weekend.
BUT in the spirit of the Winter Solstice and snowy holidays, I created this beautiful snowflake (inspiration for my failed blog idea).
So what to write about on the eve of the eve of Christmas Eve (also the 2nd day of Hanukkah)???
The topic of H1B Visa candidates has been swirling around in my head for the past few weeks as I’ve been contemplating HOW I’m going to get some very specialized engineering talent in house with some of my clients.
Actually, the whole issue came to a forefront in my brain when I came across a potentially excellent candidate with the EXACT skill set I was looking for. I quickly hopped on the phone with him and it turned out that he requires H1B sponsorship. This automatically puts a kink in my plans. BUT WHY?? H1B candidates have excellent educations, and really COOL work experiences just like the US citizens I interview.
For the most part H1B candidates I talk to speak English well and are EAGER to work.
With the exception of some government related projects which may require US Citizenship (not all do, just some), I think there’s a misconception about these candidates, and a lack of understanding about what a great, viable option they present.
To quote my boss – Chuck – who has been working with H1B candidates in the IT space for years he only sees the positives:
“Most H1B candidates are simply amazing employees! They are required via the details of their visa to work full time for the company that sponsors them. They cannot quit. And if they are let go, they are in jeopardy of being sent back to their home country. Talk about loyalty, dedication and hard work, where’s the down side!”
Chuck made a point that set a light bulb off in my head. I can’t believe how we’re under-utilizing some terrific talent here in WNY just because we’re afraid of, or don’t want to deal with the “hassle” of H1B sponsorship.
I’m no lawyer, but from what I understand, the fees to the company are minimal, the paperwork is minimal, and the legal fees should be minimal as well. Chuck, speaking from experience said that the process of onboarding an H1B candidate is relatively simple, and 9 times out of 10 you get an EXCELLENT candidate who is happy to have the opportunity to stay and work in the US.
You should see your ROI quickly! (He adds, of course, that TxMQ can both help with this process, or even ‘hold’ the visa for our clients if they want to further mitigate any perceived ‘risk’).
Speaking on a personal note, I had a friend in college from Japan who went through many hoops trying to find a company that would sponsor her to stay in the US post graduation. This girl was SHARP, learned almost fluent English during her 6 year education (B.S. and MBA), and had established lifelong friends whom she would have to leave if she didn’t get a company to sponsor her H1B Visa. She had to move to NYC to find a company to do so, but now she’s living in Queens happily working for a successful import/export firm. SUCCESS!
Much more to come on this topic as it marinates in my head!!
Until then, Happy Hanukkah / Merry Christmas / Cool Kwanza / HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!!!!!
