On Reforming our Immigration System

I’ve been meaning to write about immigration reform for a few weeks now. But, it’s a difficult topic and I’ve been avoiding it. Then yesterday, I was linked to this podcast by Mike Rowe about American farm workers having a PR problem (or read the text version here). Shortly after, I followed a link to this video clip of United Farm Workers of American union leader, Arturo Rodriguez, on The Colbert Report. The juxtaposition of the two items and their relevance to my own opinions on our current immigration laws convinced me I needed to speak up and soon.


I have almost ten years of experience working on employer-sponsored, work related visas and immigration issues. I know the ins and outs and quirks of almost all of the visas that allow an individual to work in the U.S. And what I’ve noted most frequently about our immigration laws is that they do not fit the needs of either U.S. companies or people who want to make a new life in our “land of opportunity”. When it comes to employment visas, the emphasis is on individuals who are highly trained, educated, or can perform a specialized skill. These visas are important for two reasons. First, they give companies access to skilled, knowledgeable individuals, regardless of their country of origin. Second, they allow U.S. companies to recruit the best global talent, essentially stealing the top talent from other countries so that their achievements and successes are American ones. In both regards, these visas help our economy, even if it could be argued that they take jobs away from American citizens. There are abuses; especially, it seems, within the computer industry, where companies hire only foreigners to staff their office, paying them a lower wage than an American of similar background and skill would accept. However, for the most part, even companies that frequently use the specialty knowledge visas hire more Americans than foreigners.

However, while there are a number of different visas for educated skilled individuals, there are virtually no visas available to unskilled laborers. This makes sense in many ways. If anyone can do the job, why would you need a foreigner to do it? This is a job that could go to an unemployed American. Unfortunately, America has become increasingly separated from manual labor of any kind, skilled or unskilled. They certainly don’t want the unskilled jobs. They want white-collar office jobs, with career advancement and high paychecks. Companies looking for unskilled laborers find it difficult to fill their open positions with American citizens. This is what both Mike Rowe and Arturo Rodriguez are talking about: Mike Rowe, focusing on how Americans don’t value or want blue collar jobs, to the point that the Future Farmers of American have to rebrand themselves; Arturo Rodriguez, so convinced that no American citizen will do the jobs the immigrant population is doing that he’s willing to find anyone who says they are a job.

Another problem with employer sponsored immigration is with the process for sponsoring an employee for a green card. Obtaining an employer sponsored green card involves a complicated, lengthy process. Typically, an employer waits to sponsor an employee for a green card until just before their other visas have reached the limit of any possible extensions (the maximum stay in the U.S. on an employer sponsored visa is usually 6 years). At that point, the employer must document that it was unable to find an American citizen who was minimally qualified to perform the tasks of the individual for whom they wish to sponsor the green card (and by minimally qualified, they mean equal to doing the job when the employee was first hired, 6 years ago). This recruitment proof is not required for any employer sponsored visas, only for the green card. Personally, I think that this requirement should be something the employer needs to show when they first sponsored their visa. Also, if the purpose of these visas is to steal top talent from other countries, the process of making the permanent citizens should be relatively easy; so that they don’t take their six years of U.S. experience back to their home country and become a high-level competitor.

I certainly don’t have the answer to immigration reform. But, I do know our system needs a large overhaul. Reviewing the current system, researching alternatives and proposing reforms will definitely be a full time job for those who undertake it. If I was involved with designing the reform, I would explore how and why employer sponsored visas are abused and methods to prevent such abuse. I would examine the need for an unskilled laborer category, and explore ways to balance company needs for unskilled laborers with the need to employ American citizens and prevent a large influx of unskilled, legal immigrants. I certainly would reexamine the employer green card process and whether it is more complicated than it needs to be. For this I would explore the point systems that Britain and Canada are using (I’m not sold on the point system, but I’d look at them for ideas). I hope that real reform will take place soon and that those who undertake to draft a reform proposal are able to examine and come up with solutions for these issues.

Not a Recluse

No one ever believes me when I tell them this, but I am an introvert. I think they don’t believe me because the word introvert has come to be associated with shy, retiring people, who are reticent to share their thoughts and opinions with others. I am not like that. But by the Myers-Briggs definition, being introverted simply means that a person recharges by being alone, as opposed to an extrovert, who recharges by being with other people. This is the positive way of expressing the difference, but if you turn it around, you’ll realize that introverts are drained by being in groups, while extroverts are drained by being alone. While I like people and enjoy getting together with them, I do find that after a long period with others I need time by myself to recover.


Since I’ve been unemployed I’ve been feeling that my introversion levels have gone up. People talk about getting lonely or stir crazy by being in the house alone all day, but I haven’t felt that at all. In fact, I enjoy my days alone. I feel my house and life are in much better order than when I worked, and I have been able to accomplish a number of personal projects that seemed to be perpetually on hold because I never had the time for them. While I recognize that networking and meeting people is an essential part of both obtaining a new position and staying in touch with the developments in my field, I find myself increasingly loath to leave the house, and the networking events I’ve attended have really taken their toll on my energy levels. Over the past few months I’ve been increasingly concerned that I was turning into a recluse or agoraphobic or some other antisocial person.

Fortunately, this weekend helped to reassure me that I’m not really become a hermit. On Saturday, I had the fortune to attend an old friend’s wedding, at which I reconnected with a number of other old friends and had a great time. On Sunday, I attended a barbecue at another friend’s house, and saw more (and different) friends, and even made a few new ones. Despite spending two full days in the company of lots of other people, I barely felt drained at all. My analysis: The company is makes all the difference. Friends aren’t draining, but strangers are. With friends I don’t need to be anything other than myself, because I know they love me already. With new people I am not comfortable just being myself. What if they don’t like me? I know, I know, I should be myself with strangers too. I totally agree, because I believe in being genuine in everything I do. But when I’m with strangers I tend to be me-lite. I hold back a little. I don’t announce all my thoughts and opinions right away. I want people to see the best parts of me before I show them the crazy side.

So, some takeaways from my weekend: No, I’m not a recluse yet, but I do need to work harder at keeping in touch. Honestly, some of the people I saw this weekend, I haven’t seen in years. People I really like. What is wrong with me? Some plans (you knew there were going to be plans, right): Perhaps a big party. I used to throw parties more than once a year, but when I was promoted to manager, there never seemed to be the time. Now that I’m not working, I have the time, but still haven’t made the effort. That’s going to change. I’m also tossing around the idea of small dinner parties; quiet groups of six, maybe with some board or card games afterwards. And finally, simply reaching out more to get together with friends whenever I can.

An Organized Approach

I’m a fairly organized person. I enjoy planning and arranging things. I rather strongly believe that a good plan makes life easier and allows me to do more than I would have otherwise. For example, I was able to graduate from college in three years by formulating a plan in my first semester to achieve all the graduation requirements in as short a time as possible. I never thought my fondness for having a plan was a problem, or even all that noticeable, until recently. I’m perfectly able to function without a plan or to handle the inevitable wrench in my plan, I just prefer to make one if I have the time. But a friend called me “the list girl”. My mother said, “you and your schedule”. I started to analyze my habits and found that maybe I am a bit obsessive with the scheduling and planning. For example:

I start each week by preparing a schedule of what I want to accomplish. Each day I review the premade schedule and tweak it, adding anything that didn’t get accomplished in previous days or that has come up recently.

I break pretty much every project I work on into smaller pieces and plan how and when I’m going to do each piece so that the completed project is done in time. For example, if my goal for the week is to clean my house, I’ll assign a room to each weekday. Then I’ll breakout how I’ll clean that room (declutter, then dust, then vacuum, etc.). 

I use my Outlook calendar to schedule not just big events, but regular household chores as well. Even my exercise routine is detailed in my calendar.

I also always have bigger plans in mind, backup plans, and sometimes, backup backup plans. . . For example, my current large-scale plans center on my immediate goal of finding employment and making myself as marketable as possible. I’m planning to take the GPHR exam in December, after taking a prep course. I’m thinking about doing a Spanish language immersion course in Costa Rica. I’m studying to take the GRE and GMAT exams so that I can apply to grad or business school if I’m still unemployed at the end of the year. I’m working out a model for starting my own business.

While I can see that I maybe take the planning a step further than others might, I cannot fathom how people who don’t plan or schedule get things done. Even something as simple as a straight to-do list is a form of planning, allowing one to remember what they should do, prioritize the tasks, and get things done more efficiently. [As a side note, I’m a big fan of handwritten to-do lists. Nothing is more satisfying as taking a pen through the items on your list and seeing it shrink to only a few items.] Life is just easier and more manageable when you have a way to approach it.

Confessions of a Data Junkie

I have a confession to make: I’m a data junkie. I love data, charts and graphs; I love analyzing them for trends and patterns; and I love coming up with explanations for those trends and patterns and testing my hypotheses. I know, at this point, you probably think I’m crazy. Since that’s probably true by several definitions of the word, perhaps it’s best if we get it out in the open already.

My first exposure to the concept of a database was at my first job, really an internship, out of college. I was tasked with creating and populating a database of sales quotes for an import/export company using Microsoft Access. I had never heard of Access, or databases before that job. Ten years later, I’m an expert user of the program, and a big proponent for the use of databases for collecting and tracking information. I took my knowledge of database design and use and brought my next employer kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Lots of people use data, databases and analysis in their day jobs. It is one of the best tools in a business’s arsenal. Any new project or plan should start with an analysis of the current situation before any steps are taken. The quality of collected data and the subsequent analysis can make or break a business strategy. But most people leave the data collection and analyzing at the office, for their business. They don’t see the application in their personal lives. This is where my “habit” becomes apparent.

A few of the ways I’ve collected data in my personal life, and what I’ve learned from them.

1) The Job Search. Every person looking for a job should have some system of keeping track of what jobs they’ve applied to. I would recommend a simple Excel chart showing the company, job title and date of application. I’ve taken my Job Search chart to the next level, though. I’ve included Pivot Tables (a tool in Excel for analyzing the data in your chart) that break down the information and allow me to see some trends. What have I learned?

• I apply to more jobs on Wednesday than any other jobs. [Note this trend could have two causes – 1) more new jobs are posted on Wednesdays; and 2) my schedule on Wednesday allows me to look for and apply to more jobs. The true cause is probably a combination of these two possible causes.]

• Although I source jobs to apply to from a variety of areas, including networking, the biggest sources for jobs to which I apply are still Monster and CareerBuilder. A lot of pundits have criticized these large job posting boards as outdated, but they still seem to have a large number of companies using them for their job search needs. Hmm, this gives me an idea for a new piece of information to track – response rate from different sources.

2) My media collections. I have a database for keeping track of my books, CDs, DVDs, etc. It helps me to know what I have, to avoid duplicates, but also to find things, but tracking when I’ve lent things out or moved a CD to my car. What have I learned? My husband and I have an inordinate number of books with the word ‘Unicorn’ in the title. Maybe not as useful as my job search data, but certainly an interesting trend.

3) My exercise routine. I actually have two charts for keeping track of my workouts. One tracks my running, showing time, heart rate and notable info about a run. The other tracks my Pilates workout showing the current routine and the plan for adding new exercises (I add new ones each month). What have I learned? I’m faster and stronger at the beginning of the week than at the end.

Are there more? Of course; I create a new chart whenever there’s a new piece of information I want to know more about. I’ll admit, my frequent use of Excel and Access for personal reasons isn’t normal, but it helps me to understand and catalog my world. So, while you think I’m crazy, I have a pretty good handle on how things in my life are affecting me, allowing me to be more organized and generally happier.

NJ: Where the only thing fresher than the produce is the wait staff

I have the dubious privilege of living in New Jersey. NJ has a bad reputation as a place to live not just in the other 49 states of the country, but with its own denizens as well. One of the things biggest things contributing to NJ’s bad reputation is the local government. Even before The Sopranos became a hit series, everyone knew NJ was the mob's playground. In the eight years I've lived here, I've seen two governors resign and no fewer than three federal sting operations that have brought down multiple officials at a time.


Since the election of our newest governor, Chris Christie, there’s been a lot of talk about the state budget and the gap between income and spending. I’m not an expert in government budgeting, and I recognize that the economy has not been booming for the last few years, but it puzzles me that the state’s finances are as bad as portrayed. NJ has the highest property taxes in the nation and our state income taxes are on par with our neighbor states (not to mention that some of the nation’s top earners live here). Yet despite the increased income one would expect NJ to have over other states, we do not get additional, or even better, services from the government. So I wonder where does the income go, if it’s not going to services?

Along with cutting many government budgets, Christie’s answer has been to attack teacher salaries and benefits, as the reason for the government’s budget problems. While I do take issue with the idea of teachers receiving their health insurance without contribution and having a pension plan in an age where most workers are funding their own health insurance and 401k plans, at least in part, I’m not convinced that the cost of paying our teachers is the reason for the budget gap. My parents live in another state, in one of the highest paying school districts in the country, and yet their taxes are a fraction of those in my town. Personally, I believe the real reason for the budget gap is that NJ has too much overhead; too many niche government positions, held by unqualified, or underqualified, individuals and obtained through nepotism, who are kept employed through inertia. I would love to see the political leaders of NJ take a tough look at the people on the government’s payroll and make the effort to better align its workforce with the work.

Despite its problems, I will grant that NJ has some things to offer its residents. My home is (relatively) close to the mountains and the beach, giving me options for activities. I'm within easy travel distance of both New York City and Philadelphia, giving me access to the culture, jobs market and resource availability of a large city, while still having a green backyard. I might move out of the state eventually, but for now, I just shake my head at the political ridiculousness and make the most of the opportunities the state offers.

What's in a Name

I believe that names have power. Not necessarily that a person can be controlled through the use of their name, although some people believe that, but more that a person can be known through their name. The interplay between a person and their name is interesting. Our names can shape and define us, but at the same time we give meaning to the words that make up our name. One of the things that proves to me the importance of names is our adult reaction to learning that someone has given their child an obscure or different name. "Think of the teasing she'll get on the playground!" we decry. Now if there is one thing I know, it is that children will make fun of and tease their classmates over anything they think will cause a reaction. Are Jennifers really teased less than Apples? Probably not. But making fun of someone's name is somehow more traumatic. It cuts deeper; it questions our very identity. [It occurs to me that some of this name identity may be tied to our language. In every language I have studied other than English, one gives their name by saying they are called their name; In English we are our names. An interesting thought, but since I don't subscribe to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, I doubt it will prove to be unique to English.]

What I'm really trying to say is that names are important, and as such should be used with care. Unfortunately, not everyone uses other people's names with the care they should. It seems as if someone, somewhere has proposed the idea that if you use someone's name they will like you better, trust you more, or feel a connection to you in some way. This is most likely true, since it seems pretty intuitive that we would feel closer to those who know our names, than those who don't, or can't be bothered to remember them. I can see this being one of those psychological studies that seem to say something interesting, but when you look closer, you find it wasn't telling you what you thought after all (this is a common topic of discussion in my household - yes, my husband and I are dorks). But, while we may feel an affinity to those who know and use our name, there are rules for name usage that need to be followed. Deviation from the rules makes the person whose name has been used improperly uncomfortable, and instead of fostering good will, fosters suspicion. Here are some helpful guidelines for using someone's name based on my own observations.

Get it right. This is the golden rule for name usage. If you're going to use my name, make sure you've gotten it right. Don't call me by my sister's name or my coworker's name, or some random name you made up. If you're not sure, you're better off not using my name at all. I think I'm fair when it comes to pronunciation of my name: I allow for some variation. Depending on your dialect you may say the vowels in my name slightly different. My last name is long, but spelled phonetically. I accept two possible phonetic parsings of my name, but have no patience for people who say the first syllable and give up just because it's a long name. Sound it out like you learned to do in school (or maybe didn't - if you were taught the whole word method of reading, you're probably going to mispronounce my name and I'm not going to like you. Sorry.) If you do mispronounce my name, or call me by the wrong name, I will correct you. My name is important. If you've been under the impression that I'm my sister or someone else, you need to be corrected. I try to be polite about it, but I am firm, too.

Use it properly. It probably won't surprise you to learn that pretty much everything about language is rule governed. Appropriate name usage is no exception. There are limited number conditions where using someone's name is expected and/or accepted. Some general guidelines:

1) Names may be used at the beginning or end of conversations. For example, "Hi, John." or "Talk to you later, Melissa."

2) Names may be used to attract someone's attention. For example, "Jessica! Over here!"

3) Names may be used when in a group to single someone out to get their particular views on something. "What do you think about our plan, Brian?"

4) Obviously names may be used when you are talking about someone, even if they are part of your conversation group.

5) A name can be used when expressing a strong emotion directed at the individual, but this usage should be kept to a minimum. "Mary, what were you thinking?!"

There may be a couple more scenarios where a name could be used, but I think this list is pretty exhaustive. Usage outside of these conditions immediately puts a person on guard. When you say to me, "Let me tell you, Amanda, what a great time we had in Florida." I immediately worry that you're about to sell me a time share. Using my name there is inappropriate. It's wrong. And I think that if you've used it there, it's because you read somewhere that using my name more often would make me like you. Which is wrong. I now don't like you because you used my name in the wrong way.

As the saying goes, "That's my name; don't wear it out."

A Tale of Two Yarn Stores

If you've read my first post, you know that I crochet and knit as a hobby. Obviously, both hobbies require yarn. I get most of my yarn, like pretty much everything else, on line. Unfortunately, yarn is one of those products that it is nice to see and touch before purchasing, so I do like to visit yarn stores from time to time. Most yarn stores fall into one of two categories, which can be illustrated by my recent visits to two different stores.

At the first store, there is a living room set up with a couch and chairs and coffee table to the left of the entrance, in front of a picture window. The cash register is straight ahead on the right hand side. The yarn is arranged on shelves located in two rooms beyond, and in a small area behind the couch. A group of people were sitting in the living room area knitting and talking. An employee was at the cash register, and another employee was in a back room apparently working on inventory or some other business function. The employee at the cash register was chatting with the knitting group, but when we walked in, greeted us and asked us if we needed any help. We said we just wanted to look and proceeded to do just that. I ended up purchasing some yarn, and she wound the skeins into balls for ease of use for me.

At the second store, there is a card table set up to the left of the entrance, running long ways away from the front of the store. The cash register is to the right on a counter. The yarn is arranged in shelves along all of the walls, some of it behind the counter that the cash register is on, and some behind the table, which is surrounded by folding chairs and a group of people knitting and talking. No one is at the cash register; everyone in the store is knitting at the table. One of the people at the table stands up as we walk in and asks if she can help us. We say we're just looking, and proceed to do so. But it's awkward to get to some of the yarn because it's blocked by people knitting, or is behind the register, where customers aren't supposed to go. We leave.

I don't know if I succeeded in explaining the subtle differences between the two stores, but the first felt welcoming and inviting. The second felt as if we were intruding. A quick analysis of the differences:

1) The knitting area - both stores included an area for knitters to relax and work on their craft and talk with others. In theory this should be a welcoming feature in both stores, but it's not. In the first store, the knitting area is set up like a cozy living room with a sofa and chairs. In the second store, it's a multipurpose card table with folding chairs.

2) Layout - In the first store, the yarn is laid out on shelves that meander through the store. The store feels a little cramped, but is not disorganized, in fact, the yarn is sorted in ways knitters will appreciate - sock yarn is in one area, bulky yarns are in another, fine silk yarn in yet another. The second store has a more airy feel. It is one long room with built in shelving stuffed with yarn. A low counter runs most of way up both sides, which are stacked with books and more yarn. Unfortunately, this counter makes it difficult and awkward to get to the yarns to look at them. In addition, the knitting table is also in the way of getting to the yarn. The organization is less obvious as well. They yarn's seem to be grouped by weight, possibly material, but since they're hard to get to, it's hard to tell.

3) Staff - This one is the key. In the first store, the staff is not part of the knitting group. They are working. One staff member is near the group and talking with them, but she has held herself apart from the group. Another staff member is doing other work in the back. In the second store, there is no obvious staff, because any staff members are sitting with the knitting group. It makes it feel as though the customer is interrupting. Additionally, there's the offer to help. Coming from behind the counter, it feels genuine and unhurried. Coming from the social group, it feels as if the offer is just a means to get you out of the store as quickly as possible. I know this is not how the second store's employee meant it, but that's how it feels to the customer.

Unfortunately most yarn stores that I've visited fall into the second category, not the first. While it's nice to see and touch the yarns before purchasing them, visiting a yarn store is not always a pleasant experience, so I'll stick to ordering most of my yarns on line.