Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#1

Post by employee123 » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 8:41 AM UTC

I wanted to know if anyone has been hired by the big 4 from outside the US. How did it happen? what was your experience with the interview and most importantly what role? I want to know if this is possible or I should just forget the idea.

A little about me:

I am a front-end dev, with strong front-end skills currently taking courses in Data structures and Algorithms and bought the book Cracking The Coding Interview, been doing one question every day since. I have worked for a number of European startups as a remote front-end dev, but I've always dreamt of going to the valley. I live in Africa.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#2

Post by ThePawnBreak » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 10:46 AM UTC

Probably at least 20-30% of big 4 employees are or were on H1Bs. Getting a job is very simple, but not very easy:

1. Get a good resume. They're not very picky here, if you have a couple of years experience programming professionally, it should be enough.

2. Apply online.

3. Get an interview.

4. Pass the interview (hard).

5. If you get an offer, you'll need to get an H1B visa to go to the US. It's ok, if you're unlucky they'll probably offer you a position in a different country, and you can transfer to the US after 1-2 years.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#3

Post by NhanH » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 11:30 AM UTC

ThePawnBreak wrote: post #2

Probably at least 20-30% of big 4 employees are or were on H1Bs. Getting a job is very simple, but not very easy: 1. Get a good resume. They're not very picky here, if you have a couple of years experience programming professionally, it should be enough. 2. Apply online. 3. Get an interview. 4. Pass the interview (hard). 5. If you get an offer, you'll need to get an H1B visa to go to the US. It's ok, if you're unluck…

For the last step, if what you truly want is just coming to the US, please don't do it for your own sanity. Waiting 1-2 years working outside the US and then come to the US on H1B/L1 is something potentially quite stressful (not to mention the follow up is anything but pleasant).

Of course, if you just want to work for a big 4 co. anywhere on the world, then it's different.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#4

Post by employee123 » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 11:41 AM UTC

NhanH wrote: post #3

ThePawnBreak wrote: post #2

Probably at least 20-30% of big 4 employees are or were on H1Bs. Getting a job is very simple, but not very easy: 1. Get a good resume. They're not very picky here, if you have a couple of years experience programming professionally, it should be enough. 2. Apply online. 3. Get an interview. 4. Pass the interview (hard). 5. If you get an offer, you'll need to get an H1B visa to go to the US. It's ok, if you're unluck…

For the last step, if what you truly want is just coming to the US, please don't do it for your own sanity. Waiting 1-2 years working outside the US and then come to the US on H1B/L1 is something potentially quite stressful (not to mention the follow up is anything but pleasant). Of course, if you just want to work for a big 4 co. anywhere on the world, then it's different.

why is waiting 1-2 years outside the US unpleasant? kindly explain more.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#5

Post by NhanH » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 12:08 PM UTC

employee123 wrote: post #4

NhanH wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the last step, if what you truly want is just coming to the US, please don't do it for your own sanity. Waiting 1-2 years working outside the US and then come to the US on H1B/L1 is something potentially quite stressful (not to mention the follow up is anything but pleasant). Of course, if you just want to work for a big 4 co. anywhere on the world, then it's different.

why is waiting 1-2 years outside the US unpleasant? kindly explain more.

Not specifically the part of ONLY waiting 1-2 years outside the US, but the whole thing. I'm just highlighting that doing H1B, trying to get GC, then citizenship alone is a pretty bad process already, adding 1-2 years on top of that is more of a straw the broke the camel's back. Not to mention that there is no certainty the company can actually bring you over to the US after that 1-2 years period, they certainly WILL try, but the immigration situation in the US currently just seems to be more and more hostile every year.

Realistically, getting H1B should pretty much be discounted from your current plan (the odd is somewhere around 30%), so it leaves you with an L1 visa. That would leave you even more locked to your employer than H1B would.

To make it short, if I've already got an H1B, and currently in the US, I'd stay while nagging the employer to make sure my EB process is going. In your situation (which I am right now), I'd try to get to the US through either O1 or the startup visa parole, assuming the latter comes to fruition.

And just to make sure we're clear, for me working for a big 4 corp is something nice (I don't think I'd hate myself for doing it), but absolutely not my current goal.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#6

Post by ThePawnBreak » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 12:50 PM UTC

NhanH wrote: post #3

ThePawnBreak wrote: post #2

Probably at least 20-30% of big 4 employees are or were on H1Bs. Getting a job is very simple, but not very easy: 1. Get a good resume. They're not very picky here, if you have a couple of years experience programming professionally, it should be enough. 2. Apply online. 3. Get an interview. 4. Pass the interview (hard). 5. If you get an offer, you'll need to get an H1B visa to go to the US. It's ok, if you're unluck…

For the last step, if what you truly want is just coming to the US, please don't do it for your own sanity. Waiting 1-2 years working outside the US and then come to the US on H1B/L1 is something potentially quite stressful (not to mention the follow up is anything but pleasant). Of course, if you just want to work for a big 4 co. anywhere on the world, then it's different.

I have several friends who are doing the Microsoft Vancouver -> Seattle visa dance, and they're ok with it. I also have a friend who got a green card while working at Microsoft.

I think you don't realise how much better the US is for a software engineer than any other country in the world.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#7

Post by emilburzo » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 12:54 PM UTC

Can't help with your question, but I was wondering how did you get in touch with the European startups you worked for?

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#8

Post by NhanH » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 1:42 PM UTC

ThePawnBreak wrote: post #6

NhanH wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the last step, if what you truly want is just coming to the US, please don't do it for your own sanity. Waiting 1-2 years working outside the US and then come to the US on H1B/L1 is something potentially quite stressful (not to mention the follow up is anything but pleasant). Of course, if you just want to work for a big 4 co. anywhere on the world, then it's different.

I have several friends who are doing the Microsoft Vancouver -> Seattle visa dance, and they're ok with it. I also have a friend who got a green card while working at Microsoft. I think you don't realise how much better the US is for a software engineer than any other country in the world.

Actually I do, I left the US just a couple of months ago after living there for 6 years. And my advice is the same: know your odds, play your lottery, but don't bet/delay your life on that.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#9

Post by employee123 » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 2:28 PM UTC

emilburzo wrote: post #7

Can't help with your question, but I was wondering how did you get in touch with the European startups you worked for?

I checked out remote job boards, found a couple of listings and applied. Did the interview (most of them took up to a month) and got the offer. You have to know that I have about 4 years experience coding, started while in college and have worked for a firm in my country that contracts out software devs to work as remote devs for startups abroad. So I have a lot of experience working remotely.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone been hired by the big 4 companies from outside the US?

#10

Post by emilburzo » Sat, Sep 17, 2016, 2:34 PM UTC

employee123 wrote: post #9

emilburzo wrote: post #7

Can't help with your question, but I was wondering how did you get in touch with the European startups you worked for?

I checked out remote job boards, found a couple of listings and applied. Did the interview (most of them took up to a month) and got the offer. You have to know that I have about 4 years experience coding, started while in college and have worked for a firm in my country that contracts out software devs to work as remote devs for startups abroad. So I have a lot of experience working remotely.

Thank you.

I actually have 6 years of experience working remotely, but I guess I've been doing something wrong recently when applying.