I think that if you enter the US on a tourist visa and get a job offer you will probably have to return to your home country to actually get the visa.

I think the reason you don't hear many success stories about people getting work visas is that there really aren't many. It's very difficult, much more so than in the past, even for IT people. During the boom days before 2000, there was a temporary increase in visas for IT people because we had a critical shortage. That law has expired, but it seems to have left people with the idea that getting sponsored for a job in the US is a lot easier than it really is.

Are you eligible for the green card lottery? If you are, and are lucky enough to win, your problems will be solved.