Why Don't They Hire Us?
By Prabhu Rajamani JGSM '10
Issue date: 11/2/09 Section: Perspectives
This opinion editorial was chosen as one of the top submissions in the NBA 5670 Management Writing course as part of Cornell Business Journal's collaboration with Prof. Charlotte Rosen.
In both quality and quantity, the U.S. is a global leader in producing MBAs; thus, there is a great availability of MBA talent for American recruiters. It is also true that most multinational companies are based in the U.S., including IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Chevron, and Proctor & Gamble. These companies outwardly state that they seek diversity and global experience in their staffing to increase their global competitive advantage. The question is, why don't they hire international MBAs graduating within the U.S.? Given that they don't, it is hard to fathom the source of diversity they claim to have.
Granted, there are restrictions to hiring foreign nationals, as is guided by government policy. The government must ensure that unemployment is kept to a minimum, and it must prevent U.S. citizens from losing their jobs to non-Americans by limiting the number of visas granted and instating other related regulations. But, if you look at most of the positions that MBAs are seeking, these jobs reside in highly specialized segments that require specially trained talent. The possibility of a U.S. citizen losing his or her job to a foreign national in the MBA space is not nearly as likely as it is for an American seeking to fill a less specialized position.
Another hesitation for companies is the expense involved in sponsoring work visas. Hiring executives makes this factor even more important when comparing foreign candidates against equivalent American applicants. However, the expense is a small percentage compared to the revenue generated by these professionals or to the high compensation levels. Including visa fees, attorney fees, and any other related expenses, it would cost approximately $8,000 to sponsor a foreign national with a work visa. Furthermore, visas are an easy source of income for the government and provide employment for many people involved in the filing process, from government employees to human resource professionals, and even attorneys.
In both quality and quantity, the U.S. is a global leader in producing MBAs; thus, there is a great availability of MBA talent for American recruiters. It is also true that most multinational companies are based in the U.S., including IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Chevron, and Proctor & Gamble. These companies outwardly state that they seek diversity and global experience in their staffing to increase their global competitive advantage. The question is, why don't they hire international MBAs graduating within the U.S.? Given that they don't, it is hard to fathom the source of diversity they claim to have.
Granted, there are restrictions to hiring foreign nationals, as is guided by government policy. The government must ensure that unemployment is kept to a minimum, and it must prevent U.S. citizens from losing their jobs to non-Americans by limiting the number of visas granted and instating other related regulations. But, if you look at most of the positions that MBAs are seeking, these jobs reside in highly specialized segments that require specially trained talent. The possibility of a U.S. citizen losing his or her job to a foreign national in the MBA space is not nearly as likely as it is for an American seeking to fill a less specialized position.
Another hesitation for companies is the expense involved in sponsoring work visas. Hiring executives makes this factor even more important when comparing foreign candidates against equivalent American applicants. However, the expense is a small percentage compared to the revenue generated by these professionals or to the high compensation levels. Including visa fees, attorney fees, and any other related expenses, it would cost approximately $8,000 to sponsor a foreign national with a work visa. Furthermore, visas are an easy source of income for the government and provide employment for many people involved in the filing process, from government employees to human resource professionals, and even attorneys.
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Amitabh
posted 11/06/09 @ 4:25 PM EST
This is very true. Extremely well-written article. If I was an employer, I would send you an offer letter immediately. There is always room in the Bollywood industry!
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