I completely disagree with the opening premise, which is not supported by any data, that PhDs "are in short supply."

I don't know Chand John, but if he really is an expert programmer, and was unable to get a programming job in Silicon Valley in today's economy, something else is going on. Either he is very, very picky, or employers are turning him down for reasons other than his PhD.

Professional success has much more to do with focus and assertiveness and ambition and other personal qualities than with grades, test scores, and degrees accumulated. Learned this the hard way myself.