"rather than the hard sciences or engineering"
You must be joking.
Have you looked at the career path for American engineers?
Hint: it's a very short one.
Much better to be a plumber in this day and age.
If I had it to do over, I would never go through what I went through in engineering school just to be replaced by an H1-B visa holder from Pakistan or India.
"just to be replaced by an H1-B visa"
Make yourself invaluable...create your own work, sounds like you think a job is deserved...
Before ya' ask, yes, I will working at Wal-Mart, all that my skills/ambition allow....