IP: No talent shortage in U.S. (7-29-2001) -- letters to the SJMN today

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>"I am not shocked by the content of the Mercury News' recent article 
>``Tech Talent Alarm Sounded'' (July 22). However, I am shocked that 
>Congress and much of the media are accepting the pro-immigration lobby 
>``party line'' without question.
>
>The cold, hard truth is this: Many U.S. companies have outsourced their 
>talent-recruitment to third parties who refuse to hire qualified U.S. 
>scientists, programmers and engineers because they are perceived to cost 
>more than imported H1-B replacements.
>
>There is actually a huge surplus of high-tech brains in America, but we 
>have zero social capital. That is why we can be discriminated against with 
>impunity. I personally spent seven years in poverty while looking for 
>high-tech employment. How did I escape? By removing my Caltech master's 
>degree and my six years of NASA experience from my application.
>
>By pretending to be a mediocre worker instead of a genius, I was suddenly 
>offered work by the same companies that had refused to consider me before.
>
>Yes, in the 21st century it has become necessary to lie on the résumé and 
>pretend to have lower qualifications in order to avoid being discriminated 
>against by the anti-genius, anti-U.S.-worker high-tech establishment.
>
>Tom Nadeau
>Dickson, Tenn.
>
>Honesty is what's in short supply
>
>Let's get something straight: There is no shortage of engineers, computer 
>programmers or scientists. I know this from personal experience, since it 
>took me over 15 months to get a single job offer after receiving my 
>bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (with a 3.59 GPA) in 1998.
>
>I probably sent out 120 résumés to ads I saw in the newspaper and got 
>about seven interviews -- so how can anyone in his or her right mind claim 
>that there is a shortage of engineers?
>
>The only ``shortage'' in the high-tech industry is that of honesty.
>
>Randle C. Sink
>Brea:



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