Gents, having asked CX recruiters during my interviews about the general demographics of those pilots recruited by CX, I was not surprised to learn that a major hurdle for American pilots is their attitude toward the rest of the world. Specifically, many of them have never left the US, nor have desire to do so. Futher, quite a few of them don't even know where Hong Kong is (..... more than one US applicant has answered that HK in the southern hemisphere, or off the coast of Africa). I am generalising in saying that many people of the Commonwealth regard Americans as insular and ignorant, and this perception (whether right or wrong), is reinforced by such applicants above. CX is a company with strong Commonweath roots and an overwhelmingly Commonwealth pilot body, and hence this perception of Americans endures.
Flying for CX has traditionally meant relocating to Hong Kong, the epicentre of an energetic and crazy, but otherwise bizarre and undeveloped (by Western standards) Asia. To relocate and integrate successfully, a pilot joining CX has not just wanted to fly, but they have specifically wanted to fly for CX, which also means that they have wanted to relocate and join the Asian madness. My perception is that American pilots do not necessarily want to fly for CX, they just want to fly and don't have too many other options at present. Unfortunately, this attitude does not really sit well with those who have specifically chosen CX (for whatever reason, be it lifestyle, money, or the Asia experience), and the company is full of pilots who have specifically chosen CX.
Of course, please excuse my generalisations as I know there are numerous Yanks who actually do want to work for CX alone (and not all Commonwealth expats want live in HK), but I'd suggest that those who are CX focused but receive a hard time at interview may be considered "collateral damage" for the rest of the aplicants who just want the well-paying job.
TM.