on OPT, wondering how H1B will affect my career planning
On h1 you need to transfer your h1b to the new company which may take days-months on the other hand on OPT you need not wait and can join immediately. But companies might be biased towards h1b candidates as they can work for 0-6 years unlike in OPT which is 0-3 years
Thanks
Where are you going from Microsoft? And why ?
Yes
Switch asap, unless you've already got the lottery draw for your h1 and receipt is imminent. Waiting for a h1 is a pain in the ass. Not to mention the fact that the transfer process is also a pain in the ass given recent delays in processing times. If you don't have a h1 and don't have one in site, gtfo now and go. Don't wait
Not harder, but I would say it takes longer. On opt its a matter of a couple of days+notice period.
Yes. Company doesn’t need to do anything when you are on OPT. With H1-B company needs to pay for the legal and filing fees + uncertainty (of late h1 transfers are getting a lot of scrutiny, along with h1 renewals) Also, during low demand times, often companies have a blanket ban on any h1 candidate, so your pool of employers you can interview with will get smaller.
Can you stay on OPT forever? If no, then you know what to do.
I can switch companies before going on H1
Then do it.